The premier of Quebec and the mayor of Montreal are reacting strongly to a demonstration that happened Tuesday in front of Montreal City Hall.

Montreal police officers, firefighters, and other city workers held a rally where they burned garbage and some of their uniforms.

Many on-duty police officers and firefighters -- union leaders say they were on a 15-minute break -- showed up in their official vehicles and blasted sirens.

Toward the end of the protest firefighters turned a hose on the bonfire to extinguish the flames, then turned it on city hall.

Union leader Marc Ranger later said that spraying water on the building was going a bit too far.

Premier Philippe Couillard said the whole event was a double standard considering how police in Montreal treat other groups that protests, pointing out that many people have been arrested for failing to provide police with the route of their protests.

"It's not acceptable for anyone to go against the law and endanger people's security or violate property," said Couillard."I'm going to be very, very strict and very clear on that. Even the perception of a double standard cannot work."

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre also condemned the way yesterday’s protests unfolded, saying there will be consequences.

“They have the right to protest, they even have the right to call me names. I don’t care. I’m there there to respect the taxpayers’ right to pay...and I want to give a future to unions and even to pension plans,” said Coderre. “But it's zero tolerance when you are using city material and when you are lighting fires.”

 Wide-ranging reform

Unionized public servants are upset with Bill 3, which would reform pension plans throughout the province.

Under the current funding formula municipalities contribute 70 per cent of a pension plan while employees pay 30 per cent. But among the changes demanded is a shift to a 50-50 split.

Many union workers, including Montreal's police brotherhood, say that their pension contributions would more than double, going from $100 per week to $220.

The legislation is still in its early stages and would require up to two years of negotiations and arbitration.

Couillard said instead of demonstrating, union workers should sit down and talk.

"I'm telling people who demonstrated yesterday, why don't you negotiate? You can come to the National Assembly and present your point of view and you can all have negotiated settlements with your municipalities," said Couillard.