Strike threat emerges ahead of Montréal Worlds as workers target championship week

Preparations for the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal could face disruption after municipal workers filed notice of strike action covering almost the entire championship week.

The Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal, which represents the city's blue collar municipal workers, announced on Wednesday that it had formally submitted notice for a seven day strike from September 22 to 28.

The timing overlaps directly with the Road World Championships, which run from September 20 to 27 and will bring cycling's biggest names to the Canadian city.

The union itself highlighted the significance of the dates in its announcement, describing the World Championships as Montréal's biggest sporting event since the 1976 Olympic Games.

The strike notice comes amid an ongoing dispute between the union and the City of Montréal over a new collective agreement.

Nicolas De Ciccio, president of CUPE Local 301, said negotiations had recently intensified but claimed the city's representatives had not been given a clear mandate when it came to financial matters.

"The City is still offering wage increases below inflation," De Ciccio said in the union's statement. "Montréal's blue collar workers provide an essential service and deserve, at the very least, to be taken seriously at the negotiating table."

Despite filing the strike notice, the union stressed that negotiations have not been abandoned and that its representatives remain prepared to continue talks in the hope of reaching an agreement.

"We are not going to sign a collective agreement that would leave our members worse off," De Ciccio added. "We're not asking for the moon."

The strike notice comes less than three weeks before the World Championships and would run directly through both the elite women’s and men’s road races on the final weekend.

Mathieu van der Poel, Paul Seixas, Isaac Del Toro, Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel are among the leading names expected in Montréal, while defending champion Tadej Pogačar remains a major doubt following the injuries he sustained at the Vuelta.

In the women’s race, Demi Vollering is expected to start as the clear favourite for the world title.

It remains unclear what impact the strike could have on the championships if it goes ahead. Negotiations between the union and the city are continuing, with the union insisting it remains open to reaching an agreement.