Shipping and Logistics

St. Lawrence Seaway Reopening After Tentative Labor Pact Is Reached

October 30, 2023

The St. Lawrence Seaway is reopening after a tentative agreement has been reached between striking Unifor members and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. (SLSMC).

Canadian union Unifor announced the tentative agreement on Sunday, Oct. 29, noting that it was reached during negotiations mediated by Canada’s federal government.

The 360 SLSMC employees represented by Unifor must still ratify the agreement. A vote is being scheduled for the coming days, the union said.

The strike against the SLSMC began on Oct. 22. It shut down the lock system managed by SLSMC between Montreal, Quebec, and Lake Erie.

The SLSMC said in a statement sent to SMU that it has begun to implement its recovery program and “will start passing ships progressively as of Monday, Oct. 30, with the return-to-work of employees at 7:00 a.m.”

“We know that this strike has not been easy for anyone, and value the patience and cooperation of our marine industry bi-national partners; carriers, shippers, ports, local communities, and all those who depend on this vital transportation corridor on both sides of the Canada-US border,” said Terence Bowles, SLSMC president and CEO.

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held a variety of positions within the steel industry since 2007, including reporting and editing for Steel Business Briefing/Platts, the Association for Iron and Steel Technology, and Kallanish Commodities, as well as marketing for what was then known as ThyssenKrupp Steel USA (now AM/NS Calvert). After a five-year hiatus working across other industries, she returned to steel in 2021 and has covered the flat rolled, tubular, and trade areas of the industry. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at laura@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7869.