The situation is getting tougher at Westmount City Hall, where it is now the white-collar workers who have adopted a strike mandate, joining blue-collar workers who have already launched an indefinite strike.
At a meeting, 88 per cent of the white-collar workers in Westmount voted in favour of a pressure tactics mandate that could go as far as an unlimited general strike.
The collective agreement expired on Dec. 31 last year. The dispute concerns the framework for teleworking, salaries and bonuses, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the FTQ, which represents them.
"Since Feb. 20, we have been negotiating relentlessly and, unfortunately, the City of Westmount's good financial health is not being reflected in acceptable offers for its employees. The status quo is not an option for white-collar workers. We will not agree to sign a collective agreement on the cheap', said union vice-president Éliane Scofield-Lamarche.
The blue-collar workers began their indefinite strike on June 22.
An agreement in principle had been reached between the parties, but the members rejected it.
"Despite this bad news, we are not discouraged," said Westmount Mayor Christine M. Smith at a council meeting. "We want, and we will continue, to negotiate to reach an agreement that is fair, equitable and responsible. Obviously, there are still a few stumbling blocks before we reach an agreement that is acceptable to the majority of blue-collar workers, but our negotiating teams are hard at work, and these points will be addressed as quickly as possible."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 7, 2023.
