Members of the Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) at the MRC Pontiac will be on strike on November 23. This move comes after the two parties failed to agree to a new contract during negotiations after the previous collective agreement expired at the end of December 2021.

The MRC Pontiac union voted for the implementation of heavy pressure tactics that could lead to 10 days of strike on October 27.

“What the employer is proposing is completely disconnected from the reality of the labour market, rising inflation and labour shortages. After almost a year of negotiation, this first day of strike will be an opportunity for the employer to realize that the . . .

patience of our members has reached limits. The workers of the MRC Pontiac are simply demanding fair working conditions. Our members are ready to go all the way to get a decent salary,” said Michel Girard, Regional President of the SFPQ.

The union is asking for a minimum salary increase of 14.5 per cent over 5 years, which MRC management, backed by the Council of Mayors, is not agreeing to.

Warden of MRC Pontiac, Jane Toller implied that the hold up in negotiations are related to budget constraints.

“What I believe we have done at the MRC Council of Mayors is in a united, unanimous way,” said Toller about the strike action. “We are concerned about one thing. We could be heading into a recession and the budget that we were presented with a couple of weeks ago showed we needed to find some efficiencies and dig in and go line by line. The Council of Mayors and I as the warden are keeping one group of people in mind and that is our taxpayers and we are not willing to increase their taxes unnecessarily.”

The union for its part will also overview the budget and publicize expenses it views as unnecessary to counter management’s claims, according to Girard.

As of now it appears that SAAQ in Campbell’s Bay will close due to strike and services out of the MRC building will be disrupted.

“We do know that there are 11 people that are not unionized, who will be able to perform many services here in the building. And I also will make sure I’m here to help in any way that I can,” said Toller about workplace disruptions at the MRC.

“People who work at MRC Pontiac are very well looked after and there are many other organizations and businesses that do not offer their employees what our employees are offered,” concluded Toller about the manner.

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