Dollard blue collars go on 24-hour strike

Two days before the municipal election, blue-collar workers in Dollard des Ormeaux staged a 24-hour strike in front of town hall today, claiming it has everything to do with a wage increase and more work for their employees, and nothing at all with influencing voter intentions or turn-out.

"We do want to get a message across to the population," said Benoit Gosselin, a union negotiator for the Syndicat des Cols bleus regroupés de Montréal, the Montreal blue-collar workers' union, which includes all 67 workers in Dollard.

"However, we do not interfere in elections," he said.

"The people of Dollard simply do not know that we've been without a contract with the city for three years," added Gosselin.

According to Gosselin, the straw that broke the camel's back, causing the union to vote for a strike, was the city's refusal to include cash it already gives out as bonuses as part of workers' regular wages instead. "Say, for example, you make $24 an hour," said Gosselin. "The city maybe gives that employee $1,000 in bonuses, but they won't include that amount in regular salaries instead," said Gosselin.

"(They say) it's a question of principle," said Gosselin, as employees behind him on the lawns of the city's civic centre whistled, cheered and waved at drivers on De Salaberry Boulevard.

"They don't want to upset the other employees of the city," he said.

For the workers, however, putting that money into regular salaries would mean an increase for their eventual pensions.

Another sticking point is that, according to Gosselin, Dollard subcontracts about 50 per cent of its manual labour to external employers. "We're not asking to have all the work," he said. "We are, at the end of the day, trying to save money for the taxpayers," he said.

Gosselin said the union also wants 24 more permanent employees. "I have to admit the city has consented to that," he said.

Dollard's mayoral incumbent, Ed Janiszewski, did not return telephone calls as of press time. He is being challenged by Shameem Sidiqqui for mayor on Sunday.

Dollard is not the only West Island city that has not settled with its union. Blue-collar workers in Beaconsfield walked out on the job September 18, the very day the official electoral period in Quebec started. Though there too, union representatives have denied any political intentions, the strike has de facto become an issue in the three-way race for mayor. Workers protested outside town hall both during the city's penultimate council meeting in September, and during a mayoral hopefuls' debate last week between challengers Hela Labene and David Pollock and incumbent Bob Benedetti.

Gosselin said negotiations are going well in Pointe Claire, another city that has not signed a contract with its union yet.