Latest news with #MarieClaudeLeonard
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Montreal transit agency urges commuters to prepare as STM maintenance strike nears
As the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) maintenance workers' strike approaches, the agency is urging commuters to plan ahead, consider active transportation options, or work from home. The STM has said the strike, which runs from June 9 to 17, will affect traffic across Montreal. 'We're aware of the inconvenience this strike may cause for our customers, and we're doing everything we can to help ensure their trips go as smoothly as possible,' said STM general manager Marie-Claude Léonard. 'We're in a time of change, and it's important that we refocus on our core mission: moving people. Given the STM's current financial context, we need to ensure our operations remain cost-effective. This must be reflected in the ongoing collective agreement negotiations in order to respect the financial limits of our funding partners.' An essential services schedule will remain in place, as per a ruling by Quebec's labour tribunal, the Tribunal administratif du travail. Bus and Metro service will run normally during the Montreal Grand Prix, from June 13 to 15. Paratransit will also not be affected by the strike. June 9 to 11 According to the STM, school routes and shuttle buses for planned outings will operate as usual, even during off-peak hours. REM replacement shuttles will only run between 11:15 p.m. and 1:15 a.m. Metro stations will be closed outside scheduled service hours. June 12, 16 and 17 On these dates, the STM will operate at 50 per cent capacity. Metro service will run at half the usual frequency—one train out of two—and roughly half of all bus trips will be cancelled. The exact number of cancellations will vary depending on operational needs. No refunds or compensation The STM said no refunds or financial compensation will be offered for activated monthly or weekly passes. However, other fare types may be used at a later date or could be eligible for a refund. he agency added that negotiations are ongoing. It has proposed the use of a third party to help find solutions and potentially speed up talks with the union.
CBC
6 days ago
- General
- CBC
Expect longer commutes, crowded buses and metros, if strike happens, STM says
Montreal's public transit authority says it would be important for people to plan ahead when commuting starting next week, as a looming strike promises to severely disrupt its bus and Metro services. "We suggest to set aside twice as much time as usual to get around," said Marie-Claude Léonard, the executive director of the Société de transport de Montréa l (STM), during a news conference on Wednesday morning. "During the service hours, there will be crowding." Léonard also suggested that people use other transportation methods if possible. Earlier this week, Quebec's labour tribunal ruled that about 2,400 STM workers who do maintenance work on the city's buses and Metro cars can go on strike from June 9 at 12 a.m. to June 17 at 11:59 p.m. Exceptions were made, however, for peak hours and to account for the influx of tourists and increase in traffic during Grand Prix weekend. The union representing the workers, the Syndicat du transport de Montréal-CSN, and the STM agreed to only provide services during peak hours on June 9, 10 and 11. For June 16 and 17, there would be service in those peak-hour windows and the the frequency of buses and Metro cars would be reduced by 50 per cent outside of those hours. The reduced services outside of the peak hours would also apply to June 12, but the peak-hour windows on that day would be slightly bigger. For the Grand Prix weekend, between June 13 and June 15, there would be full service. STM service limited to rush hour and late evenings on June 9, 10, 11, 16 and 17: Metro: • 6:30 a.m. to 9:38 a.m. • 2:45 p.m. to 5:48 p.m. • 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Bus: • 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. • 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. • 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. Outside of the hours listed above, the bus and Metro frequency would also be reduced by 50 per cent on June 16 and 17. There would be no bus and Metro service outside of the peak hours for June 9, 10 and 11 and access to the Metro will be closed, making those the most challenging strike days for commuters. STM service offered on June 12, the eve of Canadian Grand Prix weekend: Metro: • 6:30 a.m. to 10:38 a.m. • 2:45 p.m. to 6:48 p.m. • 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Bus: • 6:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. • 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. • 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. The bus and Metro frequency would also be reduced by 50 per cent outside of these hours. The STM said the strike would not affect adapted transit nor school shuttles. Montreal's light-rail train network, the REM, has relied on buses from the STM and the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) to provide shuttle buses outside of its current service schedule that ends at around 8:30 p.m. The STM says the shuttle bus it provides for REM users would be available between 11:15 p.m. and 1:15 a.m. The maintenance workers are with the Syndicat du transport de Montréal, a union that is under the massive umbrella of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) labour federation. The STM is also negotiating with three other unions, including one that represents bus and Metro car drivers who just voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. That union has not yet decided on strike dates. According to the STM, it provides 1.1 million trips per day.
