by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

After a series of full-day strikes and a suspension of overtime, unionised longshoremen will start a partial and unlimited strike at 11:00 local time on Thursday, 31 October.

According to a statement published by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) - Local 375 - the strike impacts workers at the Termont Corporation, which operates the Viau and Maisonneuve container terminals at the port.

The union highlighted that the strike could be avoided if the Maritime Employers Association and the union reach an agreement over working hours.

The new labour action is expected to impact 15% of the entire volume handled at the Port of Montreal, which is 40% of container traffic.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses said that small and medium-sized enterprises were being negatively impacted by the union's industrial action ahead of the holiday season.

The organisation urged the federal government to guarantee the port's continued operation.