Municipal employees in Malartic were back at work today, after being locked out for 19 months. The workers, members of CUPE 4224, reached a tentative agreement with the municipality on Friday, Nov. 14th.
Under the agreement, all union members who had job security will get to keep it. The new, two-year agreement will expire in November 2005. Inside workers will get the same wage increases as their outside counterparts.
Union rep Georges Landry said underlined the inside workers’ determination to win the strike.
“The members demonstrated their courage. It’s hard being so brutally thrown out on the street for a year,” he said. “But, thanks to the support from the CUPE municipal sector, everyone was able to hold on.”
“We knew we were in the right – that our demands were reasonable and there was no reason to strip job security from the contract. In the end, good sense won the day. It was a long struggle, but it was worth it,” Landry said.
Under the agreement, all union members who had job security will get to keep it. The new, two-year agreement will expire in November 2005. Inside workers will get the same wage increases as their outside counterparts.
Union rep Georges Landry said underlined the inside workers’ determination to win the strike.
“The members demonstrated their courage. It’s hard being so brutally thrown out on the street for a year,” he said. “But, thanks to the support from the CUPE municipal sector, everyone was able to hold on.”
“We knew we were in the right – that our demands were reasonable and there was no reason to strip job security from the contract. In the end, good sense won the day. It was a long struggle, but it was worth it,” Landry said.