Concerned that negotiations have been bogged down for more than two-and-a-half years without a contract, the white collar workers in Terrebonne, Quebec are about to make themselves heard. During previous negotiations, the City had agreed to settle the issue of pay equity and to adopt a new salary structure. However, the municipal government is now reneging on that commitment.
Members of the Syndicat des cols blancs de Terrebonne (CUPE 2326) will sound off at the end of the day on Wednesday, July 28. They will march along Saint-Louis Street to the entrance of the Île-des-Moulins with carnival trumpets at approximately 6 p.m. for their “concert”. Of course, the demonstration will be orderly and good-humoured.
“We cannot accept the offers of the employers, who are violating the Pay Equity Act and ignoring their previous commitment. The City simply needs to keep its word, otherwise we will be forced to consider pressure tactics in the fall,” said union vice-president Jessy Brisson.
At 7:15 p.m., the protesters will bow to the true artists of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, who are scheduled to perform for all music lovers at 7:30 p.m.
CUPE represents about 70 per cent of all municipal employees in Quebec. With nearly 105,000 members in Quebec, CUPE is present in several other sectors, including health and social services, education, universities, energy, urban and air transport, communications, and Quebec government corporations and public agencies. It is also the largest affiliate of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec.