The labor conflict between maintenance employees of the capital’s transport network (RTC) and the transport company is not about to resolve. Negotiations have been completely broken between the two parties since the end of the afternoon on Thursday.
We are extremely far from an agreement in principle. […] If we do not accept their requests, there are no more negotics
said the president of the union of maintenance employees of the RTCNicolas Louazel. He claims that no negotiation date has been set by the mediator to continue discussions with the employer.
Dozens of employees drew up a strike on Friday morning in front of the registered office of the RTC, on rue des Rocailles.
According to the union, negotiations have not led to any progress since June 13. The discussions buy on work-family conciliation challenges, but also on the salary question, while the union claims “equity with other groups”, without however quantifying its requests.
A hundred maintenance employees have drew up a picking line in front of the RTC headquarters.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Rosalie Sinclair
The union denies requesting a salary increase of 30 % over five years, as mayor Bruno Marchand says.
It is a dictatorship what we live
The tone has been won between the different parts on Friday. The president of the union of maintenance employees of the RTC did not go there with a press point, comparing in particular the employer to a dictatorship
.
The mayor of Quebec strongly reacted to these remarks on the sidelines of a press conference on the filing of the report of the City of Quebec City.
The mayor of Quebec Bruno Marchand believes that the union “takes the population hostage”. (Archives photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada
If managing tight public finances, if we reduce debt as we do in Quebec, if you have the least big tax growth in all the big cities in Quebec is a dictator, I assume to be one
said Bruno Marchand.
It’s not open bar, and it will never be a bar open. Because the citizen accepts that there are programs that work, but he wants account redditions, he wants us to take it for a cellar.
Threat of unlimited general strike
In mid-June, maintenance employees unanimously approved a bank of strikes up to the unlimited general strike. This option is far from being dismissed, warns the union.
Necessarily there, it’s the FEQ, but we don’t know. Are we going to go to September with the start of the school year? It’s time to react. I believe that the employer should put energy to settle as soon as possible
says Nicolas Louazel.
The union of maintenance employees of RTC However, argues being ready to get together at the negotiating table as soon as a date has been set by the mediator.
RTC buses served the first evening of the FEQ, but vehicles have been stopped since Friday morning.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Erik Chouinard
After the picking up, the employees moved to the Victoria park for an assembly where they will be informed of the latest developments at the negotiation table.
You have to see the essential services otherwise
The mayor of Quebec believes that the definition of essential services should be extended to take into account citizens, such as health workers, who cannot move otherwise in buses.
The Galeries in the capital’s Galeries terminus was completely deserted during the visit to Radio-Canada on Friday morning.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Rosalie Sinclair
You have to see essential services other than if it is a question of life or death. You have to see the impact that it also has on a population
he argued on Friday.
Public transport greatly suffers from not being considered as essential services.
He recalls that Quebec City has tried to find common ground with the Syndicate of RTC maintenance employees to maintain a minimum of services during the strike, a request that was rejected.
No special short -term law
The Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, does not intend to intervene for the moment with a special law, but does not deviate from if the conflict persists.
We will be guided by the public interest, by respecting the well-being of the population and we will take into account the context, the duration of the labor conflict and we will make the appropriate decisions at the right time.
For the moment, it is not my intention to intervene, but know that it restores legitimacy to bill 89
consider the minister. Beyond the interpretation made by the court [administratif du travail]it must be ensured that there is not too much damage to the population
adds Mr. Boulet.
What is Bill 89?
The new provincial law, adopted at the end of May and which will come into force on November 30, limits the right to strike, by allowing in particular to impose arbitration in certain cases. The concept of essential services is also reformulated: these are now defined as services ensuring the well-being of the population
whose interruption would disproportionately affect social, economic or environmental security of the population
.
It is certain that this law, if it had been in force, would have had an impact on the conflict
admits Minister Boulet, in an interview on the program It’s even better in the afternoon. In the meantime, he thinks that the conciliator appointed since April 30 A constructive dialogue
Between the two parties.
With the collaboration of Rosalie Sinclair and Olivier Lemieux
