Montreal City Architects to Strike for Two Days
Architects employed by the City of Montreal are set to go on strike on October 13 and 14, according to the Union of Professional and Office Employees (SEPB) local chapter, affiliated with the FTQ, who issued the strike notice on Wednesday.
The union, representing around 50 architects specializing in various areas such as regulations, construction project management, built heritage, and sustainable development, highlighted the impact of the strike on key citizen services. These services include borough-level zoning, heritage preservation, central city services, and assessing restoration subsidy applications, all of which may face delays during the strike, as explained by union president Louis Philippe Lauzé.
The absence of essential services will be felt during the two-day strike, mainly due to disputes over wages and remote work conditions, which have been unresolved for over three years, with negotiations initiated in 2024 and a conciliation phase in 2025.
While negotiations with other city unions have been ongoing, including the white-collar and blue-collar unions, the Architects’ Union stands as an integral part of the bargaining process that the City of Montreal is navigating. A tentative agreement has been reached with the blue-collar workers, but the final decision is pending union approval.
