Montreal’s blue-collar workers launched an extensive rotating strike on Monday, the 25th of January, in the borough of Ville-Marie. The Essential Services Council determined a list of services that will be maintained throughout the series of work stoppages. For forty days, workers will be out on strike in one of the nineteen boroughs, or in central city services, in order. Each of the boroughs, as well as city central services, will end up with workers having been on strike for two days. This is the first time a rotating strike has taken place in the City of Montreal.
The goal of the job action is to put pressure on the City while causing as little disruption as possible to the people of Montreal. The union’s own proposals on garbage collection and snow removal were essentially accepted by the essential-services council, and unionized workers will be out dealing with any snow fall of more than 9 cm.
Montreal’s blue-collar workers have been without a contract since the 31st of August, 2007. They have already been forced out on strike for two days in 2009, and have sent a flyer explaining the issues at stake to every home in Montreal.
