A new three-year contract between unionised workers on the St Lawrence Seaway and their employers was ratified on Friday, ending a labour strife that shut down the critical waterway for more than a week.

St Lawrence Seaway Management Corp (SLSMC) and Unifor, a union representing 360 workers on the Canadian side of the system of locks and canals that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, announced the ratification on Thursday.

St Lawrence Seaway reopens as union and employers reach tentative labour deal
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The announcement came after both sides arrived to a tentative agreement on Tuesday that ended a strike that closed the lock-operated passage from 22 to 30 October.

“The collective agreement reflects the important contributions Seaway employees make every day to keep this critical transportation corridor moving and delivering for local, regional and binational economies,” SLSMC chief executive Terence Bowles said in a statement.

“In particular, we thank employees for their hard work and cooperation in recent days to support the safe and efficient reopening of the seaway to shipping traffic.”

Management and unionised workers have been working together to clear a backlog of ships waiting to cross the waterway since it reopened at 1100 GMT on 30 October after the tentative deal was reached.

“Over the coming weeks, as the end of the navigation season approaches, the SLSMC will continue to take measures to maximize the movement of vessels carrying essential cargo along the seaway,” SLSMC said.

The new labour agreement for Unifor members in Ontario and Quebec includes annual pay raises of between 4% and 5%, retroactive to 1 April 2023 and a $2,000 signing bonus, the union said.

Unifor maintenance, operations and clerical workers voted 85% in favour, while 87% of supervisors cast “yes” votes.

“I congratulate the members of the St Lawrence Seaway on their new collective agreements and Unifor is committed to making this the start of a better and more respectful workplace for our members,” Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement.

“We saw incredible solidarity from members in Ontario and Quebec who stood together to demand a fair contract for all — and that’s the real power of a union.”

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