Last September 15, the Société des arrimeurs de Québec (SAQ) locked out 81 longshore workers, who are negotiating clauses to protect work/life balance.
Those walking the picket lines gathered warm clothing, which will be donated to the Maison des marins.
“Sailors arriving at the Port de Québec come from all over the world and don’t often have what they need to survive our winters in Quebec. Now that we’re out in the street, we want to collect coats, boots, wool socks, etc., to help sailors who dock here,” says Stéphan Arsenault, President of the Syndicat des débardeurs de Québec.
From November 20 to 26, longshore workers are inviting all residents in the Quebec City area to bring warm clothing to 1, boulevard Henri-Bourassa, where they can also make cash donations.
The mission of the Maison des marins, which is staffed by a team of volunteers and located right in the heart of the port facilities, is to welcome and help all sailors stopping over in the Port de Québec. Similar operations have been set up in numerous ports around the world for more than a century.