April 2, 2026 -
Following public statements made by the Syndicat des travailleuses et travailleurs épiciers unis de Metro‑Richelieu (STTEUMR‑CSN), which represents unionized employees at the Laval Produce distribution centre, in transportation, as well as office employees at head office in Québec, METRO wishes to set the record straight.
The union claims that its members rejected METRO’s wage offers at a meeting held on April 2. However, METRO has not submitted any offer to be presented to STTEUMR members. In fact, the parties were still at the stage of exchanging proposals and nothing had been concluded. The union nevertheless called a strike last Monday morning, even though the parties had agreed the day before to continue negotiations, including on monetary issues.
METRO has been clear from day one: it is determined to reach an agreement with the union that meets the needs of its employees and its customers in a highly competitive market.
However, the union continues to put forward wage demands that are far removed from what is reasonable and sustainable, as well as from compensation levels observed in the market for comparable jobs, notably by demanding a 20% increase in the first year, followed by 5% increases in each of the next two years.
METRO is prepared to return to the bargaining table as soon as constructive and realistic discussions will be possible. In the meantime, METRO is continuing to implement its contingency plan in order to meet the needs of its customers.