98 per cent of membership approved walkout
Workers at the Monastère d’Aylmer seniors’ home in Montreal went on strike on Sept. 30.
Salaries are one of the many points of contention. Despite days of bargaining and conciliation efforts in the past several months, negotiations are at a standstill, says the Teamsters, Local 106, which represents the interests of about 110 women and men workers at this private-sector retirement residence.
Union members are seeking a new collective agreement offering working conditions equivalent to those in other Chartwell Group establishments, says the union.
For a number of years, Teamsters’ policy has been to maintain all services to residents during a strike at any retirement home or privately owned long-term care facility to limit the impact of a work stoppage on residents. Monastère d’Aylmer management is opposed to this practice in this specific conflict, says the union. As a consequence, workers will launch strike action for brief periods during their shifts.
“The Teamsters Union never takes residents hostage, regardless of circumstances,” says Jean Chartrand, Teamsters, Local 106 president. “Even if this fight is important for our members and for all unionized workers in this sector, we will wage this battle while showing the utmost respect to seniors, as we always do.”
At a recent Local Union 106 meeting, 98 per cent of members voted in favour of a strike. The employment contract between the parties expired on April 1.
The Teamsters Union represents the interests of nearly 40,000 men and women workers in Quebec, more than 1,000 of whom work in seniors’ residences and long-term health-care facilities.
