Ville de Montréal outside workers on strike for first time in over 15 years

Outside workers' at Ville de Montréal are on their first strike day in over 15 years. They will be on a 24-hour work stoppage from February 4 at 6 a.m. to February 5 at 5:59 a.m. This major mobilization comes after months of unsuccessful bargaining and a city-proposed budgetary framework that would have impoverished workers. Alongside hundreds of workers picketing in front of the Ville-Marie garages, CUPE 301 President Jean-Pierre Lauzon restated the union's position: outside workers won't ever sign an agreement that rolls back their working conditions.

"Outside workers have lost 6 to 7% of their purchasing power in the last few years," Lauzon said. "Not only is the city not offering a catch-up, it put a framework on the table that would just set us back further. I repeat: we will not bargain for our own impoverishment."

The union stresses that strikes are always a last resort, and never chosen happily or lightly.

"We tried other pressure tactics before getting to this point, so we could continue providing Montréalers with full services," Lauzon added. "But, if the city maintains a hard line and jeopardizes the purchasing power of thousands of workers, we have no choice but to speak up louder."

The union is still willing to bargain and has not lost sight of its main goal: to come to a tentative agreement quickly.