An indefinite general strike starting Friday could affect the Renaud-Bray branches of Galeries de la Capitale and Laurier Québec, if the management party and the union cannot reach an agreement by December 5.
The CSN union indicated in a press release that a fourth meeting with conciliators from the Ministry of Labor, which took place last Tuesday, had not been conclusive. The management side was blamed for negotiating in bad faith, which caused the talks to break down.
A little earlier, in August, following a complaint filed by the union, the Administrative Labor Tribunal had also found the management of the two branches guilty of having obstructed union activities and of having failed in its obligation to negotiate in good faith. The criticisms included numerous communications sent to employees to discredit the union, as well as an intransigent attitude at the bargaining table.
If no new serious proposal is tabled by the management side by Thursday, the union will exercise its mandate of indefinite general strike starting Friday.
“Yesterday, Renaud-Bray had absolutely nothing new to put on the table: these are exactly the same parameters that had been sent to us three times in recent weeks. After a year of negotiations where nothing is moving forward, the contempt has lasted long enough,” said Isabelle Nadeau, spokesperson for the union.
The heart of the negotiations concerns obtaining a new salary structure which would ensure that increases granted based on years of experience will not be immediately overtaken by a more rapid increase in the minimum wage.
“If we accepted the terms of Renaud-Bray, we would find ourselves within a few years with the same 15 cents more than the minimum wage, it is unacceptable,” deplores Serge Monette, vice-president of the Federation. of Commerce–CSN.
Renaud-Bray before the Administrative Labor Tribunal
Furthermore, the management party was before the Administrative Labor Tribunal this Wednesday, to defend itself from having used strikebreakers, during the strike days carried out since November 22.
“For too long, Renaud-Bray has blithely flouted all the rules of labor relations. In the event of the outbreak of a strike on Friday, we ask the population to show solidarity, not to cross the picket lines and not to shop at Renaud-Bray during the holiday season,” argues the vice-president of the Central Council of Quebec–Chaudière-Appalaches, Mélanie Pelletier.
