As fire season approaches, Unifor members have voted overwhelmingly for a “timely” strike mandate at the Société de protection des forests contre le feu (SOPFEU).
The union was discharged with an overwhelming majority of 99% for this decision which it says is “difficult but necessary”, while the talks seem to be at an impasse since the end of the collective agreements which expired on 1er January 2023.
Although local negotiations were closed, in addition to more than a dozen days of salary negotiations, many questions remained unanswered, prompting the union to request the appointment of a conciliator.
Thus, salary increases, vacations, labor mobility and the duration of the agreement in particular have not found agreement between the two parties, deplored the union affiliated with the FTQ.
Unifor’s Quebec director, Daniel Cloutier, indicates that the union’s priority is to “guarantee fair and safe working conditions for our members”, while “the terrible 2023 season […] likely to happen again this year.
“SOPFEU seems not to take the retention and attraction of the workforce seriously nor to recognize the inherent danger of this profession for the safety and health of those who practice it,” declared Mr. Cloutier via communicated Friday.
“We urge the government of Quebec as well as the management of SOPFEU to seriously reconsider their positions and engage in constructive discussions to reach a mutually beneficial agreement,” he added.
