The members of the Syndicat des employés et employées du Vieux-Port de Montréal (SEVPM-PSAC 10333) voted in favour of a strike mandate on September 16.
This allows the bargaining team to put even more pressure on the Old Port of Montreal Corporation and demand a better offer than the one received in January.
“The employer tabled a disrespectful offer over eight months ago and it’s been radio silence ever since. In my entire union career, I have rarely seen such a disinterested employer with no regard for its staff or even its purpose,” stated PSAC-Quebec Regional Executive Vice-President Yvon Barrière.
A 2017 comparative study had already identified a 35.1% gap with similar organizations, a gap that has been widening since. For a federal crown corporation, this is unacceptable. In January, the employer offered a 0% increase for the first year and a meager 1.25% for the second. Considering the current rate of inflation, this global offer of 1% over five years would be a significant and unacceptable step back for Old Port workers. No other wage offer has been tabled since January.
Visitors at the Old Port of Montreal can expect disruptions in the coming days and weeks. Our members who work there day in, day out deserve decent wages and working conditions consistent with those of similar organizations.