City of Montreal blue-collar workers warn they could intensify their pressure tactics as the UCI Road World Championships approach, a major event to be held in the metropolis in September.
In a statement released Monday, the Montreal Blue Collar Workers Union deplored the lack of progress in its negotiations with the City for the renewal of the collective agreement, which expired on December 31, 2024.
According to them, the blue-collar workers showed a sign of openness by participating in the asphalt resurfacing operations in preparation for the Cycling World Championships, but the City did not reciprocate.
The union denounced the awarding of contracts to private companies in anticipation of the competition.
“This affront shows a lack of respect for these workers and for the taxpayers,” said the union president, Nicolas De Ciccio, in a statement, noting that work contracted out to the private sector comes with higher costs than if it were done in-house.
The union indicated that about ten negotiation sessions have taken place since the beginning of May, but that the employer remains rigid on monetary issues, which are at the center of the labour dispute.
“If the City of Montreal does not accelerate the pace of negotiations, the Montreal Blue Collar Workers Union will have no choice but to intensify its pressure tactics, which could lead to a historic labour dispute during the World Championships,” warned De Ciccio.
More than 1,000 athletes will participate in the UCI Road World Championships from September 20 to 27. Organizers say the event is expected to draw more than 200 million television viewers worldwide and attract nearly 500,000 spectators to the races.
The Montreal Blue Collar Workers Union is a local branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the FTQ. It represents 6200 members.
Blue-collar workers have gone on strike twice as part of these negotiations: for one day in February and for three days in April.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
