For almost a year now, the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) has been periodically announcing slowdowns, strikes and dramatic work stoppages that hamper service for hours, days and weeks on end.
Since we love to complain, and we’re not used to walking (for too long) up the streets between the Plateau and Downtown because our shoes don’t allow it, we tend to martyr ourselves during these strike periods. But they are justifiable, justified and necessary.
That said, Montrealers may be right to be a little afraid of a month-long strike – and we don’t know what percentage of traffic will be slowed or stopped – from October 31 to November 28, 2025. That’s all we know;
But why?
This isn’t the first time this year that the maintenance workers’ union has filed a strike notice in response to the slow pace of negotiations with the STM for better working conditions and wages.
It’s not the first time the union has had to file a strike notice to get negotiations moving with STM management (in June, in September).
But when?
The strike notice that has been filed will affect bus and metro services in Montreal from October 31 to November 28 (inclusively).
A level of essential services will be maintained during the strike, according to the Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT), including :
- Paratransit service will be maintained at all times;
- Maintaining a certain level of service for buses and the metro;
- Possible representations to offer maximum service on election day, November 2.
On election day, November 2, 2025, service will be adapted – so you can take the metro to vote.
For the rest of the month, we’ve heard that the strike notice filed by the STM maintenance workers’ union concerns overtime only. The slowdowns caused will not affect peak hours (morning and evening) on metro and bus services.
We’ll have more information on this strike soon!
Good luck!