Montreal’s white collar workers staged a protest Wednesday, disrupting city services.
In addition to the major demonstration by public sector workers, about 4,000 white collar workers - nearly half the Montreal Island White Collar Workers Union - jammed into the street in front of city hall to send a message to Mayor Denis Coderre.
They have been without a contract for four years and are upset that the city plans to use outside consultants in several areas, including IT, printing, sports and recreation and traffic ticketing agents.
Wednesday’s half-day walkout was legal, since workers are without a contract.
The union that represents librarians and office workers said the biggest symbol of outsourcing is the mayor's recent decision to hire former colleague Michel Dorais at $1,800 a day to run the city's plan to welcome Syrian refugees.
Union president Alain Fugere said the mayor's loyalty to his buddy takes precedence over his confidence in the city's white collars. They point out there is a qualified, Arab-speaking unionized employee who could do the job at no extra cost.
Coderre has said the quickly evolving situation with the refugees and a lack of expertise within city staffers justifies Dorais's three-month contract which will earn him $110,000.
