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QFL PUTS PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CAISSE DE DPT ET PLACEMENT DU QUBEC

Trois-Rivir0065s, Wednesday, October 9, 2002 - Making a stop in Trois-Rivir0065s, the 24 marchers were greeted by some 150 sympathizers from the labour movement in the Mauricie. The 24 members, locked out by Vido0074ron, who had left Montra006c on Saturday, then continued their journey to Qub0065c City, on foot, to submit a petition to the National Assembly with over 65,000 signatures supporting their cause.

QFL president, Henri Mass,0020made a point of being present in Trois-Rivir0065s for the occasion and declared he was very impressed by the marchers’ determination. “It confirms what I saw when I participated at the Vido0074ron employees’ meetings,” he said. “I’ve seen many disputes in my life and can assure you that all the members are just as determined as the 24 men and women who have undertaken this march.”

Vido0074ron: Bargaining at an impasse

Bargaining between Vido0074ron and its employees, which began in December 2001, is still at an impasse. For the representatives, bargaining in good faith means that both sides have to make compromises. In recalling the main issues in this work dispute, the representatives noted that after 10 months of bargaining and 5 months of dispute, the employer, Quebecor, is still maintaining its initial demands:
  • the sale of 650 technicians to a sub-contractor;
  • the recovery of $35 to 40 million in working conditions, representing over one-third of total wages;
  • generalization of sub-contracting (30% in all sectors after contracting out complete activity segments);
  • approximately 240 changes, all of which lower conditions in the collective agreement.
According to union representatives, this dispute could adversely affect all labour relations in Qub0065c, due to the despotic attitude of the employer, the enormous numbers of strike breakers called in and the fact that Vido0074ron is playing with Quebecer’s funds through the Caisse de dpt et placement du Qub0065c (CDP). This is why it is so important for the union movement to put pressure on the CDP and the Qub0065c Government.

CUPE represents the 2,200 Videotron employees in the current dispute. With over 7,000 members in communications in Qub0065c, CUPE is also active in several other sectors including health and social services, universities, education, urban and air transport, government corporations and public organizations in Qub0065c, hydroelectricity and the municipalities. With close to 100,000 members, CUPE is the largest QFL affiliate which, itself, is the largest union organization in Qub0065c with 500,000 members.

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