The Maritime Employers Association and the Longshoremen's Union Local 375 are proceeding with the signature of a new 6 year deal collective agreement

MONTREAL, Feb. 21, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Maritime Employers Association and Local 375 CUPE Longshoremen's have just inked a new collective agreement which will allow the Port of Montreal to continue its operations while remaining competitive and ensuring its growth.

The Memorandum of Agreement, signed on January 4, 2013 by both parties, was presented yesterday to union members attending the union meeting. The new collective is valid for a 6 year period and the negotiations focused mainly on both parties' priorities. The M.E.A.'s concerns were workload flexibility as well as discussions of a Job Security program better suited to current reality. Where the Union was concerned, it was essential to find ways to reduce the pension plan's deficit, to create a work-life balance as well as maintaining and creating new jobs. The signed agreement provides new schedules better adapted to market requirements and a salary increase ranging between 1% and a maximum of 3% between 2013 and 2018.

Both parties would like to thank the Ministry of Labour and especially Mr. Jacques Lessard, Regional Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services: both greatly contributed to the success of this agreement.

A few words about the Maritime Employers Association
The Maritime Employers Association is a non-profit organization representing member companies involved in shipping. Members of the Association include ship owners, operators and agents of vessels, stevedoring contractors and terminal operators. The M.E.A. acts on behalf of its Members in the negotiation and management of the collective agreements for more than 1,200 employees working in the Ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières/Bécancour, Hamilton and Toronto.

SOURCE: Maritime Employers Association