Container traffic at the Port of Montreal came to a standstill Sunday after employers locked out unionized longshore workers. This escalation marks a significant development in the ongoing labor dispute at Canada's second-largest container port. The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) had issued a warning on Thursday about the lockout, stating it would occur if the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 375 rejected what the MEA described as a "final, comprehensive" contract offer. The MEA's proposal included a 20% pay increase over the six-year contract term. However, the union rejected this offer, citing concerns that it failed to address work-life balance issues and the potential job losses due to the introduction of automation technologies that would eliminate checker positions currently held by its members. "This lockout affects not only the 1,200 longshoremen directly impacted by the work stoppage, but it also impacts over 10,000 workers in the logistics sector, from trucking and railway employees to maritime agents and pilots," stated Montreal Port Authority Chief Executive Julie Gascon in a message posted on the port's website. Gascon further warned that as shipping lines begin to reroute to other ports, exporters and importers of all sizes are being compelled to seek alternative solutions, which are often more expensive or unavailable. In its own statement on its website, CUPE called for a "fair deal" and expressed concerns that the MEA's proposal would lead to a two-tier employment system, jeopardizing the job security of younger workers. The union had previously engaged in targeted strikes against Termont since October 31.