Quebec Truckers Vow to Keep Protest Going
Approximately 500 truckers promised to continue protesting unfair labor practices at a mass meeting Wednesday, criticizing the few drivers who continue to haul containers to and from the Port of Montreal
Approximately 500 truckers promised to continue protesting unfair labor practices at a mass meeting Wednesday, criticizing the few drivers who continue to haul containers to and from the Port of Montreal.
"They are really bent on keeping on going," said Henri Goulet, a spokesman for the Confederation of National Trade Unions, in an interview with the Journal of Commerce.
Port of Montreal Authority Spokesman Michel Turgeon said 280 trucks carrying containers entered or departed the port on Wednesday, the 10th day of the strike.
That’s a far cry from the normal 1,200 to 1,500 trucks coming and going.
The 500 truckers involved in the picketing are part of 1,200 who have parked their rigs as part of a two-year attempt to unionize and win collective agreements with their companies on wages and working conditions. Owner-operators contracted to 40 trucking companies, and driver-employees of those companies, have mostly shut down container trucking to and from the port in support of the movement.
According to the JoC, the truckers have been observing provincial law and court injunctions keeping them from blocking the port, but they do talk to drivers who are about to enter the port. If a driver refuses to turn around and go back, his rig is plastered with green stickers that say, in French, "Scabbing is criminal."
Goulet said the truckers want to join a 5,500-member union affiliate because "these supposedly independent truckers are really salaried workers."
The dispute is causing some upheaval at various transport firms throughout the area, according to the Montreal Gazette.
At Garfield Container Transport Inc. in Ville St. Pierre, operations have ground to a halt thanks to the protests.
The company specializes in moving containers by truck to and from the Port of New York/New Jersey and Quebec, but since Sunday, none of the 50 to 60 independent truckers the company normally deals with has been showing up.
Garfield general manager Ralph Fishman told the Gazette the truckers he deals with are being intimidated and threatened.
More Equipment

Autonomous Truck Testing Moves Ahead in California as Teamsters Challenge Rules
California has begun permitting heavy-duty autonomous truck testing, with Aurora and Kodiak among the first to receive approval, as the Teamsters sue the DMV over the new regulations.
Read More →Behind the Wheel of the New Mack Anthem [Video]
HDT takes the new Mack Anthem around Mack’s Pennsylvania test track to see how its driver-focused design, technology, visibility and handling perform from behind the wheel.
Read More →
DTNA Plans New U.S. Truck Plant as Manufacturing Footprint Shifts
Daimler Truck North America is evaluating sites for a new assembly plant expected to open in 2029 while winding down operations at its longtime Portland manufacturing facility.
Read More →
Great Dane Flatbed Trailer Offers Light Weight and Strength
Freedom Ultra is designed for a wide range of open-deck applications, including building materials, lumber, machinery, steel products, industrial freight, and coil hauling.
Read More →
What It's Like Inside this Custom 2025 Peterbilt 589?
Take a driver's-eye tour of this customized 2025 Peterbilt 589 in this video, as longtime driver Ingrid Brown explains its features, compares it to previous models, and shares plenty of personality along the way.
Read More →Drivers Put Western Star Trucks to the Test at Star Nation Experience
Watch to get an inside look at the Western Star trucks, technology, and community behind the Star Nation Experience 2026!
Read More →
Atlas Expands Kodiak Driverless Truck Fleet in Permian Basin
Atlas Energy Solutions is expanding autonomous frac sand hauling in the Permian Basin with a second load-out location and plans for 100 driverless trucks by mid-2027.
Read More →
Putting Mack’s Command Steer to the Test
A test drive of Mack’s Command Steer active steering system evaluates how it can make truck driving easier and less tiring.
Read More →
Mack, Volvo Expand DEF Derate Software Updates
The updated software gives Mack and Volvo truck owners more time to address DEF-related issues before the engine derates or the vehicle goes into reduced-speed inducement, following new EPA guidance.
Read More →
Rush, MCT Team Up to Grow Refrigeration Service Network
The joint venture will operate MCT's network of Carrier Transicold dealerships and mobile service locations, with the companies promising greater service capacity and uptime for refrigerated fleets.
Read More →
