Around 100 Montreal police officers called in sick Saturday in what has been deemed an illegal strike tactic.

Early Saturday morning, the city of Montreal received word that the officers would be calling in sick and asked Quebec’s labour relations board to intervene, said Mayor Denis Coderre.

“It’s totally irresponsible. You don’t play with the security of Montrealers,” he said.

“I'm in politics for 30 years. They can yell at me, they can boo me, they can talk against issues, that's democracy, we can have those kinds of discussions. But if they're using some tactics that will have a direct impact on the citizens, there will be consequences.”

The board called an emergency meeting between the city, police union and Montreal police, which began at 2 a.m. and lasted until 6:30 a.m.

The board deemed the pressure tactic an illegal strike and issued an order to force the police to work their scheduled shifts.

However, for reasons that are unclear, many did not show up.

Police and many other municipal employees, including firefighters and bus drivers have been employing pressure tactics in protest of Bill 3, introduced in June by Municipal Affairs Minister Pierre Moreau.

If it becomes law, public pensions would be funded in equal parts by workers and taxpayers.

Right now, 76 per cent of police pensions are paid by taxpayers and the other 24 per cent by workers.

The province says the current system is stifled by a $3.9-billion debt.

Ian Lafreniere, head of corporate communications for the Montreal police, said despite the absences, the force has the required number of officers patrolling the streets Saturday - officers on overnight and evening shifts were asked to do overtime.

It is not clear exactly how many officers called in sick or how many officers were scheduled to work Saturday.

Lafreniere said the police have the money to pay for the overtime and sick days, but Coderre said the union will be footing the bill and the officers will lose a sick day.

Public hearings on Bill 3 begin at the end of August.