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Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski, QC – Yesterday, the conciliator assigned to the negotiations for municipal employees in Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski retired to prepare a recommendation by mid-October on the issues still in dispute.

Since early September, six days of negotiations were held in the presence of the conciliator appointed by Labour Minister Éric Girard. During those sessions, more than 90 percent of the issues in the collective agreement were resolved. However, there are still several points of disagreement between the demands of the workers, affiliated with Local 1142 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE-FTQ), and the representatives of the municipality.

The union representative, Yanick Proulx, hopes that the conciliator’s recommendation will lead to a positive outcome and the conclusion of an agreement. “We’ve come a long way from our initial positions to where we’re at now, and I believe that the positions are considerably closer. The conciliator has done a good job so far, and I am confident that he will make a recommendation that will be in the interests of the workers, while taking into account the employer’s ability to pay. We will meet with our members as soon as we receive the recommendation,” said the union spokesperson.

The workers for the municipality of Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski have been accredited since March 2010. CUPE-FTQ Local 1142 also represents workers for the municipalities of Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici, Sayabec, Amqui, Saint-Léon-le-Grand, Lac-au-Saumon, and Saint-Irène and Causapscal; the last three of which also are currently involved in collective negotiations.