About 300 blue-collar workers at Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau walked off the job Monday amid the international cycling championship event.
The strike by workers belonging to CUPE 301 comes after a decision by the Administrative Labour Tribunal (TAT) rejected a petition by Société du parc Jean-Drapeau to require these blue-collar workers to maintain essential services in the event of a strike.
On Sunday, however, TAT rejected the employer’s petition.
“Despite the employer’s claim to the contrary, it is inaccurate to assert that the nature of its services is intended to meet ‘essential needs’ or ‘needs in the public interest,’” said Administrative Judge Michel Maranda.
“Cultural, recreational, and tourism activities, while they may be enjoyable for citizens, in no way meet an essential need. These activities are clearly optional in the daily lives of Quebecers.”
The Jean-Drapeau Park Corporation attempted to raise the issue of public safety, citing the syringes that might be found by blue-collar workers during cleanup operations. It also cited the Road World Championships, since blue-collar workers are involved in implementing security measures on Notre-Dame Island.
However, the Tribunal concluded that “if the employer or event organizers choose to maintain certain scheduled activities or to allow access to buildings or facilities located on Notre-Dame and Sainte-Hélène Islands despite the blue-collar workers’ strike, they can easily report their concerns to the City and its police department. The same applies to any risk of crime or malicious behavior that may occur in the green spaces or other facilities located on this territory.”
Negotiations ongoing
The Parc Jean-Drapeau blue-collar workers’ union is part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which is affiliated with the FTQ, as is the larger Montreal municipal blue-collar workers’ union, which is set to launch its own strike starting Tuesday.
In mid-September, 95.9 per cent of the blue-collar workers at Parc Jean-Drapeau rejected the employer’s offer.
“First, the final offer proposed by the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau called for a wage freeze for the blue-collar workers at Parc Jean-Drapeau, even as current inflation is already eroding their purchasing power. Second, this agreement also included a process that would have led to reduced access to the group insurance plan. Accepting such an agreement would have deprived some of the most vulnerable employees of their group insurance coverage,” the union stated in a press release.
In a statement to CityNews, Société du parc Jean-Drapeau said its proposals should be viewed as a whole and rather than specific parts, without sharing details about the offer.
“The salary proposal is part of a broader review of our compensation structure aimed at ensuring greater internal equity across positions while taking into account the Société’s positioning in the market,” the organization said.
It said it offered other enhancements to the group insurance plan.
The Parc said that it has implemented a plan to minimize the impact of the strike and to support the cycling championship event at the park.
“Resources are being prioritized accordingly, while some regular operations and activities may be adapted or postponed,” it added.
— With files from La Presse Canadienne
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