Yesterday, a notice of a work-to-rule and refusal to work overtime was sent to the Town of Lachute, Quebec to inform them of a walkout to take place at 12:01 am on December 2.

The 77 inside workers with the Town of Lachute have been without a contract since January 1, 2024. The union has harshly criticized the bargaining methods of the employer’s representatives, who filed an application back in October to make the move from negotiations to mediation, resulting in the cancellation of meetings and delays to talks that were already difficult.

Last November 4, members went to town council to get some explanation from the mayor as to why his representatives were so uncooperative. In response, he said he would not negotiate in public and that they had his confidence.

“The mayor’s lack of commitment and all of the questions that went unanswered were the last straw as far as the members were concerned. They wanted to see that the mayor really wanted to get an agreement and gain some recognition of their working conditions commensurate with what they contribute to the municipality,” said CUPE representative Stéphane Paré.

The work-to-rule and the refusal to work overtime will begin at 12:01 am on December 2 if no agreement is reached before then.

The mediator has been in contact with the union to find out when its representatives will be available. The union did share its schedule and is currently awaiting a reply from the employer.