The Qub0065c labour board has again ruled that the municipality of Saint-Jean-de-Matha whose workers have been on strike for 15 months is systematically violating provincial anti-scab laws.
This time the union charged and the board agreed that the municipal government had hired a local contractor to do blue collar work in violation of the provinces labour laws.
For its part the municipality claimed the workers werent scabs because they were volunteering their time.
Says CUPE representative Serge Leboeuf, Their arguments were absurd and the board wasnt fooled. [Original quote: Cest de la foutaise et le commissaire na pas t dup.005d
The town has already been found liable for several infractions, board commissioner Alain Turcotte noted. But this time the board decision was registered with the courts, which means the town could face heavy fines if it does not comply with the board order to stop contracting with private companies to do struck work.
We hope the town will finally respect the law and more importantly return to the bargaining table to reach a settlement, Leboeuf says.
[Original quote: Nous espr006fns que la Ville respectera enfin la loi et surtout quelle reviendra 006ca table de ng006fciations pour enfin rg006cer ce litige, a conclu Serge Leboeuf.]