After nearly two weeks of disruption, the STM strike was set to end Friday, October 3rd, capping a period that reshaped daily life for McGill students and Montreal commuters alike.
Beginning Monday, September 22nd, Montreal’s metro and bus system, operated by the STM (Société de transport de Montreal), has run on an adjusted schedule due to a strike by maintenance workers. The operating hours of the metro have been changed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with closures from 9:30 am to 2:45 pm and again from 5:45 pm to 11 pm. Bus services have also been limited, with no departures during slightly altered hours. Service remained unchanged on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
STM services play a pivotal role for McGill students and all Montreal residents, as many rely on them to commute to the downtown campus and across the city. The STM reported making over 300 million trips in 2024, a 9% increase from 2023. “I still take [the metro] practically every day,” one McGill student told The Bull and Bear. “I think it’s particularly important for local students who may still live with their parents or don’t prioritize proximity to campuses when looking for housing.”
Beyond local Montrealers, the STM is also essential for McGill students living in Solin Hall, a McGill residence located far from campus. One former Solin Hall resident told the Bull and Bear that the metro is “beyond essential” for students living there. “The walk from Solin to campus is over forty minutes long in good weather on a good day,” the students stated. “In bad weather, or for students carrying bags of textbooks,…the walk is nearly impossible.”
While the STM closure is a source of inconvenience for many, it stems from the maintenance workers’ demands for greater pay, among other improvements, which the STM has refused, resulting in the current stalemate. Those on strike are seeking a 25% wage increase over five years, while the STM countered with 12.5%. Notably, the STM reported saving $15 million of its 2024 budget.
The mandate for the mediator tasked with moderating the negotiations expired last week, and the STM decided not to renew it. The union stated this decision is evidence that the STM “did not want to negotiate,” a claim which the STM has rejected. A new group of mediators was convened on October 3rd to take over the situation.
Additionally, Bill 89, a Quebec law that allows the government to prevent strikes, is set to be implemented on November 30th. The union argues that this legislation is a part of why negotiations have stalled, with their spokesperson stating that the STM was “waiting for the government to do the dirty work” of ending the strike.
This is the second STM strike this year, following a previous one in June. As a resolution has still not been reached, the possibility of a third strike becomes increasingly likely. While the outcome remains uncertain, all that is certain is that McGill students will continue to feel the impact of the ongoing stalemate between the maintenance workers and the STM.
