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7-day strike notice from Montreal blue collar workers coincides with major cycling event

Union says the city is still offering salary increases below inflation rate

The blue-collar workers' union in Montreal has filed a seven-day strike notice, with workers expected to walk out near the end of September during the UCI 2026 Road World Championships.

The strike is scheduled to take place from Sept. 22 and 28 and could disrupt the event, which runs from Sept. 20 to 27 and will bring the world's best cyclists to Montreal.

''We have just wrapped up an intense round of negotiations and management does not seem to have a clear mandate regarding wages,'' said Nicolas De Ciccio, president of the union, the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal.

"The city is still offering wage increases below the inflation rate! Montreal’s blue-collar workers provide an essential service and deserve, at the very least, to be taken seriously at the bargaining table."

Montreal's blue-collar workers could launch strike during road cycling world championships

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In a news release, the union said it was not walking away from the table and is waiting for a ''serious'' offer.

"We're not asking for the moon," continued De Ciccio.

The workers' collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2024. The union represents about 6,000 workers.

In mid-August, the union had already warned that if the city did not speed up negotiations, it would have "no choice" but to step up its pressure tactics, potentially leading to a "historic labour dispute" during the cycling event.