A labour protest got festive outside city hall on Tuesday as Montreal’s blue collar unions held a barbecue to voice their complaints with Quebec’s new fiscal pact with its municipalities.

All employees present were off the clock as the mix of protest and party was held after working hours had ended.

The unions’ displeasure stems from the pact giving less money to the municipalities but giving them more power in labour negotiations in turn, including the right to impose back-to-work legislation.

"We don't need it, we don't want it," said Canadian Union of Public Employees Quebec Director Marc Ranger. "We want freedom of bargaining."

Montreal firefighters union president Ronald Martin said events like this will continue until the unions feel their voices are heard.

“We’re here to say to the government, can you please stop and try to discuss with us and find if we have some other solution?” he said. “It’s not with the law that we’re going to arrive at a solution, it’s with discussion.”