St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. committed to reaching fair deal with workers, getting ships moving and protecting our economy

CORNWALL, ON, Oct. 26, 2023 /CNW/ - In returning to the negotiating table Friday, October 27 in Toronto, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) is hopeful the federal government mediation process will help bring a swift resolution to a strike that in five days has cost the economies of Ontario, Quebec, Canada and the U.S. hundreds of millions of dollars.

"No one benefits from this strike dragging on," said SLSMC President and CEO Terence Bowles. "Every passing day comes at a steep price for businesses across the economy and threatens devastating losses for farmers who can't bring their grain to market and higher prices for consumers at the pumps and supermarket checkout."

Together with employees, SLSMC has worked for more than a decade to introduce transformational and innovative changes to its operations. This has led to service improvements, cost efficiencies, and a more resilient supply chain. UNIFOR's demands present a significant threat to the Seaway's competitiveness.

"Our workers are very well compensated and, in fact, going back more than two decades, salaries have more than kept up to inflation," said Mr. Bowles. "Even with last year's high inflation, we are still 9 per cent ahead of CPI."

Understanding what is at stake, the Seaway's team is returning to the negotiating table committed to constructive dialogue and reaching a deal that's fair for workers and protects everyone's economic best interests.

For more information concerning the Seaway, please visit www.greatlakes-seaway.com.

SOURCE St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation