Engineers working for the Quebec government will go on strike for a third time, overnight from Monday to Tuesday, unless there is an agreement by then on the renewal of their collective agreement.
The Professional Association of Government Engineers of Quebec (APIGQ), which represents these 1,800 engineers, sent an invitation to government representatives in the afternoon of Monday, with the aim of attempting a final rapprochement on Monday evening. There is therefore a slim chance that the parties will reach an agreement.
In the absence of significant progress or an agreement, these engineers will disengage from 0:01 on the night of Monday to Tuesday.
They work mainly for the Department of Transport, then the Department of the Environment and other Quebec departments.
The members of the APIGQ had walked out for the first time on April 22, before interrupting their strike to return to the bargaining table in May.
However, the negotiations broke down on May 31 when the two parties agreed a hair’s breadth from an agreement. The union members had therefore walked out a second time on June 1.
Then, the engineers resumed work on June 9. Other discussions have since taken place, without the parties reaching an agreement. Finally, the engineers could disengage a third time from 12:01 a.m. Monday to Tuesday night.
Litigation over the classification of engineers
The main point in dispute now relates to remuneration in connection with the classification of engineers.
Last Wednesday, civil engineering and roadwork contractors worried about the repercussions of another walkout by government-employed engineers. The latter are responsible for supervising construction sites and launching them, among other tasks.
The Association of road builders and major works said that contractors are already considering claiming compensation in Quebec because of the delays incurred on their construction sites.
The case also turned sour when theAPIGQ filed bad faith bargaining complaints against the Government of Quebec before the Administrative Labor Tribunal. The Association also alleges the use of scabs by the state.
Last week, the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, showed a certain weariness and pointed out that Quebec was at its tenth government offer to its engineers without the parties reaching an agreement. You have to put some elbow grease, come sit at the table and continue the conversationshe had said.
The Canadian Press
Source: Radio-Canada
