Blue-collar workers on strike: union members want more predictability in their schedule

Blue-collar workers from Quebec City took to the streets on Friday to make their demands heard in the context of negotiations on the renewal of their collective agreement, which expired on December 31.

We want to have decent working conditions and working hours to be able to have a work-life balance. We want to be at home with our family, to be able to provide the best service to citizenssupports Luc Boissonneault, president of the Union of Manual Employees of the City of Quebec.

It compares current working conditions to what was the norm 1980″,”text”:”in the 1980s”}}”>In the 1980’s. : we want to be able to plan less with our families. At Leisure, it’s incredible, they are not able to plan more than three days in advance. We are always at the mercy of the employer”,”text”:”We are always conditional: we want to be able to plan less with our families. At Leisure, it’s incredible, they are not able to plan more than three days in advance. We are always at the mercy of the employer”}}”>We are always conditional: we want to be able to plan a little with our families. At Leisure, it’s incredible, they are not able to plan more than three days in advance. We are always at the mercy of the employerdenounces Luc Boissonneault.

Three-day strike

Manual employees begin a three-day strike from June 21 to 23, in favor of which they voted in March. In the coming days, they will set up picket lines at different locations in Quebec City.

The president of the union which represents the 1,340 blue-collar workers is delighted with the mobilization of his members. % of strike vote is serious: we have the support of our members”,”text”:”It’s exceptional! We knew we had a golden mobilization. Well, here we demonstrate it once again. This shows that the [résultat de] 98% of the strike vote is serious: we have the support of our members”}}”>This is exceptional! We knew we had a golden mobilization. Well, here we demonstrate it once again. This shows that the [résultat de] 98% of the strike vote is serious: we have the support of our membershe emphasizes.

According to him, the City could have done more to limit the closures and the repercussions on public services.

For the moment, only 9 of the 32 outdoor swimming pools will remain open. The collection of residual materials scheduled for Friday in the La Haute-Saint-Charles and Beauport sectors has been postponed until June 28, while that of recyclable materials is postponed to June 24. The collection of loading containers for citizens of the districts of Charlesbourg and La Cité-Limoilou scheduled for June 21 is also canceled.

swimming pools. The executives could have done this work, they could have decided to keep the collection of residual materials in the boroughs of Beauport and LaHaute-Saint-Charles, but no, the City has decided to clean up Old Quebec for tourists at the expense of its citizens”,”text”:”They have decided to close 32 swimming pools. The executives could have done this work, they could have decided to keep the collection of residual materials in the boroughs of Beauport and LaHaute-Saint-Charles, but no, the City decided to clean Old Quebec for tourists at the expense of its citizens”}}”>They decided to close 32 swimming pools. The executives could have done this work, they could have decided to keep the collection of residual materials in the boroughs of Beauport and La Haute-Saint-Charles, but no, the City decided to clean Old Quebec for tourists at the expense of its citizensargues Luc Boissonneault.

The mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, sees it above all as a union strategy. : it’s trying to find the best timing to increase the pressure. They are the ones who choose timing and it is not without consequences”,”text”:”That’s the job of a union: it’s to try to find the best timing to increase the pressure. They are the ones who choose the timing and it is not without consequences”}}”>That’s the job of a union: it’s to try to find the best timing to increase the pressure. They are the ones who choose timing and it is not without consequenceshe replies.

White-collar workers on hold

Blue-collar workers are not the only municipal employees negotiating to renew their collective agreement: white-collar workers are too.

However, an agreement in principle was already reached Tuesday evening between the City of Quebec and the union which represents the 2,100 municipal civil servants. This proposal will be presented to members at the beginning of July.

In February, Radio-Canada revealed that the City had offered salary increases of 13% over five years to its employees.

With information from Flavie Sauvageau and Marika Wheeler