Delays expected for everything from alcohol to furniture
The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) in Montreal announced Sunday that it’s locking out 850 longshoremen, causing the Port of Montreal to ground to a halt Monday morning. More than 90 per cent of the goods imported to Quebec and Eastern Ontario could be delayed for a week or more, said a spokesperson for the MEA. The two sides have failed to agree to a contract since the previous one expired in 2008. The MEA says that they cannot afford to pay workers full wages on days when there are no ships to unload. Longshoreman began protesting in June by purposely slowing down the unloading of ships.