Couillard tells strikers he will not compromise on back-to-work order
Supporters say strike is protest against policy changes that put workers at risk
“There will be consequences.” Philippe Couillard took a hard line with striking crane operators on Friday, saying his government will make “no compromises.” Crane operators across the province have been off the job for five days.
“Those who think that, because there’s an election coming, the government can ignore the law and come to some sort of solution, get that illusion out of your head,” he told reporters in Quebec City.
In an earlier statement, Quebec Transportation Minister André Fortin said the provincial government will be sending construction unions a formal notice demanding they pay any damages caused by the strike.
Fortin said he finds it unacceptable that the workers have not returned to their jobs, leaving work sites empty for a week, despite being ordered back to work Thursday.
Some construction workers and supporters rallied in Montreal on Friday in support of the “exemplary determination” of crane operators, who are striking to denounce changes made on May 14 to their training procedures.
The demonstrators, along with the crane operators, insist the changes put at risk the safety of workers and the public by allowing trainees to learn on the job.
In its decision delivered Thursday, the Administrative Labour Tribunal ordered the operators back to work immediately, saying the lack of work has had a serious impact on construction sites in the province. The strike, deemed illegal by the Quebec Construction Commission, is “necessary and legitimate,” demonstrators wrote in a statement sent to media.
“It raises the issue of freedom of union action and shows that the current regulatory framework of the industry criminalizes workers in the construction industry who want to enforce their rights,” the statement continued.
Mélanie Malenfant, a spokesperson for the commission, said she understands the government’s reaction. The delays on construction sites can result in large costs for the government, which will ultimately affect taxpayers, she explained.
FTQ -Construction, which represents 43 per cent of construction workers in the province, reminded “crane operators of their obligation to immediately resume their usual work” on Thursday evening. The Association des constructeurs de routes et grands travaux du Québec also denounced the action.
The commission said the strike is illegal because the current collective agreement between the employers’ associations and the trade unions is in force until 2021.
Provincewide strikes began Monday, although workers at the new Champlain Bridge site have been off the job since June 14.
Individual workers who refuse to return to work could face a $10,000 fine, while corporations could face fines of up to $100,000.
A spokesperson for the Association de la construction du Québec, Guillaume Houle, encouraged any contractor affected by non-compliant workers to file a complaint with the commission.
“It’s a shame,” Houle said, adding that workers who refuse to listen to the tribunal and their unions should be reprimanded.