STM Strike Montreal: City Transit Authority Seeks Deal to End Labour Dispute by November 15

The Société de transport de Montréal continues urgent negotiations with unions as the city faces ongoing bus and Metro disruptions.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, November 7, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is racing to resolve its ongoing labour disputes and restore full bus and Metro service. After weeks of disruption, STM officials say they are working toward a November 15 deadline to finalize agreements with unionized workers and end the strike that has slowed transit across the city.

Montreal’s Transit Crisis Deepens as STM Seeks Resolution

As Montreal Daily reported; at a Friday press briefing, STM CEO Marie-Claude Léonard and Public Affairs Director Katherine Roux Groleau confirmed that negotiations with two major unions are underway — one representing maintenance workers, the other covering bus drivers, Metro operators, and station agents.
The STM is optimistic that mediation could lead to progress before mid-November, avoiding another city-wide shutdown.

Limited Service and Mounting Frustration

Since October 31, STM maintenance workers have been on strike, marking their third major stoppage of 2025. The parallel walkout by bus and Metro staff led to a 24-hour citywide shutdown, the first of its kind in nearly four decades.

Public transit is currently running on restricted rush-hour schedules:

Bus Service: 6:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m., 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., and 11:15 p.m. – 1:15 a.m.
Metro Service: 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., 2:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., and 11:00 p.m. until close.

Commuters across Montreal have reported longer travel times, fewer connections, and overcrowded buses during operational windows.

“We Need to Work Together,” Says STM

According to Léonard, arbitration will be requested if no agreement is reached by mid-November. “We must work together to find solutions within our financial limits,” she said. Roux Groleau added: “There will be no additional money, so cooperation is the only way forward.”

Key issues in dispute include:

-Wage increases for both unions.
-Opposition to outsourcing and subcontracting.
-Modernization of working conditions for maintenance workers.

Financial and Economic Impact

The STM strike Montreal is taking a visible toll on both commuters and the local economy. Sales of Zone A monthly passes are down by more than half compared to November 2024, signaling steep ridership declines. Businesses have reported reduced customer foot traffic, while many workers struggle to commute efficiently during limited service hours.

Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada has urged both sides to reach a compromise before November 15, stressing that the ongoing stalemate “hurts the city’s productivity and residents’ quality of life.”

What Happens Next

The following developments are expected in the coming days:

-Possible arbitration proceedings if mediation fails by the November 15 deadline.
-Revised service plans from STM to accommodate essential travel needs.
-Continued impact analysis from Montreal’s labour tribunal regarding essential service levels.
-Further decline in ridership and revenue if strikes persist into late November.

About the Société de transport de Montréal (STM)
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) operates the city’s bus and Metro networks, serving millions of passengers every week. As the backbone of Montreal’s public transit system, the STM is navigating one of its most challenging years yet — with 2025 bringing multiple strikes, revenue drops, and complex contract negotiations with its workforce.

Montreal Daily
Editorial Team
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