Workers at the Commission des services électriques de Montréal (CSEM) are launching a mass public awareness campaign today entitled “Rebranchons Montréal” (Reconnect Montréal), to urge Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada to unblock two collective agreements that were duly negotiated and approved by their unions and the employer. Some 160 members of CUPE 305 (white-collar workers) and CUPE 2755 (blue-collar workers) find themselves in an unusual situation, to say the least: after having bargained tentative agreements without resorting to a strike, they now face the City of Montréal blocking the implementation of these agreements.
The contracts expired on December 31, 2023. Following a long period of negotiations, the two unions and management at CSEM were able to reach agreements, which were then ratified by the members and approved by the Commission’s board last May 19. Five months later, the municipal administration of Soraya Martinez Ferrada continues to block the implementation of these collective agreements. The result is that these workers have not received a wage increase in close to three years.
“We are constantly being told that unions and employers must bargain agreements to avert labour disputes. And that’s exactly what we did! We bargained and we made compromises to conclude negotiated agreements. Now the City of Montréal is blocking everything. It would be a shame if the Martinez Ferrada administration provoked a labour conflict when the parties were able to come to an agreement,” said Mathieu Guibord, president of CUPE 305.
With their campaign “Rebranchons Montréal”, which will roll out with advertising posters and on digital platforms, the unions hope to alert the public to the possible consequences of this impasse. The campaign also urges Montrealers to write directly to the mayor and demand that she approve the collective agreements.
It is important to note that CSEM workers ensure the planning, the construction and the maintenance of a vast network of 26,000 kilometers of underground conduits carrying the infrastructure of Hydro-Québec, Bell and Vidéotron. They play an essential role in electrical connections, telecommunications and the development of new housing projects. By maintaining this deadlock, the Martinez Ferrada administration risks compromising the ability of the Commission to respond to the needs of Montréal, especially in the context of new housing construction and the maintenance of infrastructure that are priorities for the city.
“Behind each new house that needs to be connected, each street that needs to be rebuilt and each underground network that needs to be maintained, there are essential workers who have an expertise that is irreplaceable. The CSEM has already lost a significant portion of its personnel over the past several years, and we cannot continue going in this direction. The mayor must understand that by blocking these contracts, she is not only hurting the employees but also undermining Montréal’s development. We are simply asking her to respect the outcome of bargaining talks that succeeded,” added André Boyer, president of CUPE 2755.
The white-collar and blue-collar workers of the CSEM will continue their mobilisation until the City allows these collective agreements to be implemented. Members of the public are invited to learn more about the campaign and call out the mayor by visiting www.rebranchonsmontreal.com.
