Exasperated by the Immobility of the STM, the support employees think of the strike

Hot-dogs, hamburgers, signs, flags, trumpets and whistles were on the menu in front of the Youville workshops, where the bus company of Montreal (STM) are maintained and repaired, while a hundred maintenance employees demonstrated Thursday noon against the slow negotiations.

This slowness, according to the president of the Montreal Transport Syndicate, Bruno Jeannotte, who represents the around 2,400 support employees of the STMcould open the way to new heavier pressure means.

In an interview with the Canadian press, Mr. Jeannotte did not hide a certain exasperation before the incapacity of the employer to deposit his priorities after nine days of discussions held before the mediator since the end of the strike, in mid-June.

The perception that we have is that the employer is saving time at the moment at the negotiation table. Instead of identifying your priorities, which should have been done on day 1 or day 2 of the start of mediation, at the moment, we are asked for clarifications on such article or such article which, at the end of the line, may not even be included in priorities. So we are really moving in right nowsupports the president of the Montreal transport union.

A Attente you PL-89?

Bruno Jeannotte suspects this immobility of being fueled by the employer’s hope to see Quebec adopt in steaming Bill 89, the Law to consider the needs of the population more in the event of a strike or lockout.

We know that the Minister [du Travail, Jean Boulet] Pass the message that there may be a possibility of ahead of bills such as PL-89. Does the employer agree on the minister to say that we are going to have the reinforcement of the government, so we have no advantage to negotiate now? I cannot explain to you why the STM has not yet filed its prioritiesindicates Mr. Jeannotte.

The PL-89 aims to limit strikes and to expand the concept of essential services in Quebec. He gives the Minister of Labor new powers to intervene in work conflicts, in particular by imposing arbitration to end a strike or a lockout in certain cases.

Unlocking or pressure means

Support employees have already triggered the strike from June 9 to 17 and if the negotiation bus does not start, warns the president of the union, it will be necessary to prepare to attend the same scenario.

Are we going to be forced to go to strike scenarios to have a real impact, so that the STM Have a pressure form? We do not wish to go there, but at the moment, after nine complete meetings of negotiations, without having identified priorities, I must tell you that we are a little worried about what is coming. If you are not able to get along in July and that you are not able to get along in August, it is clear that there will be means of pressure at the start of the school yearsupports Mr. Jeannotte.

Salaries and subcontracting are in particular at the heart of the dispute. On the salary side, the employers’ part offers increases of 11 % over five years, less than half of the 25 % over five years claimed by union members.

Subcontracting, on the other hand, has multiple difficulties. There STM did not hide that the under-funding by Quebec of the maintenance of the network makes him think of no longer carrying out this work itself, particularly under construction, but the union retorts that using subcontractors will cost it much more than its own employees. Except that they wonder why they would remain, argues Mr. Jeannotte.

Before, we were still above the construction sector. Today, we look at the posts externally and there are wage conditions that have improved significantly in construction. We need electricians, masons and brickters working in the metro at night. The competition offers daytime positions, positions where we have leave the weekend, where we are paid in an additional time in the weekend or night, while the STM wants to have day, weekend, evening, night, paid in simple time. It does not attract people to come and work at the STM.

Night for 13 years

We spoke to an employee who preferred not to be appointed and who exercises the unknown trade of a cantonnier, that is to say that he is assigned to the maintenance of the tracks in the metro. However, the reality exposed by Bruno Jeannotte took on its full meaning when asked this employee why he manifested under the sun by this torrid heat.

It is especially with regard to work-family conciliation. For example, me, as a cantonnier, it’s been 13 years since I was STM And I don’t see the day I have a day post. I’m still at nighthe said.

The collective agreement of these union members has been expired since January 1, but negotiations had been started long before, in March 2024. Mediation has been underway since the end of the strike on June 17.