(Quebec) Five ferries operated by the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) are disrupted by a strike on Friday and will be again on Saturday, as navigation officers and engineering officers begin to use the 10-day strike mandate including they have equipped themselves.
Published at 8:05 a.m.
Updated at 8:19 a.m.
In the case of the Quebec/Lévis, Sorel-Tracy/Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola and Matane/Baie-Comeau/Godbout ferries, service is completely interrupted Friday and Saturday due to this strike by some 150 workers represented by the union Steelworkers.
At the L’Isle-aux-Coudres/Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive and Tadoussac/Baie-Sainte-Catherine crossings, minimal service is provided, since the ferry is considered an essential service.
These two strike days, which occur as the Quebec National Day long weekend begins, are the first two used under a 10-day strike mandate which was adopted by 93% by the union members who spoke out. The dates of the other eight days of strike remain to be determined.
The main issue in the negotiations concerns salaries, while the union maintains that its members earn about $10 an hour less than other officers with comparable certificates.
“Everything is at a standstill, due to lack of mandate from employer negotiators. We have meetings, but nothing happens,” denounced the Steelworkers union representative for the maritime sector, Luc Laberge, in a press release.
The union also mentions that agency workers are paid “between twice and three times” the salary of STQ officers to do the same work, because of recruitment difficulties.
“If the STQ started by paying its people correctly and respecting them, it would not have to pay top dollar for external agency officers,” said Mr. Laberge.
Negotiations have been underway for several months.
For its part, the STQ deplored the use of a strike by workers, arguing that this decision will penalize thousands of Quebecers.
“The STQ respects the right to strike of its employees, but it finds it unfortunate that the certified employees affiliated with the Steelworkers union are resorting to this means of pressure at this time, since the negotiations are continuing, such as the negotiation schedule plans,” she said.
At the L’Isle-aux-Coudres/Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive crossing, service is provided between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., as well as 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. h Friday. On Saturday, the ferry will operate between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., as well as 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
At the Tadoussac/Baie-Sainte-Catherine crossing, the schedule is as follows: departures every two hours from each bank from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., departures every 30 minutes from each bank from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and simultaneous departures every 40 minutes from each bank from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
