Strong mandate from Victor workforce!

QUEBEC CITY - After more than four months of negotiations, USW/Syndicat des Metallos (FTQ) workers in the Victor Innovatex plant, Saint-Georges-de-Beauce have voted unanimously in favour of granting their bargaining committee a mandate to call a strike as soon as possible. "Despite the snowstorm last Saturday, more than 90% of members with voting rights came in to give us this mandate to act until we receive a reasonable offer in writing from the employer," declared Pascal Loignon, a union staffer with the Syndicat des Metallos (FTQ).

On February 22 this year, the union bargaining committee had filed its monetary demands, while clearly explaining that labour representatives and members were expecting a new proposal from management at the bargaining session scheduled for a week later. This meeting did in fact take place, on February 29; however, there was no return offer from the employer. As a result of this inability to come to an agreement despite last-minute negotiations, workers went on strike at 10:30 p.m. on March 10.

Meetings with a conciliator have been scheduled for March 15 and 16. "The union bargaining committee will be attending, in order to resolve this issue, which deals primarily with the financial aspect of the employment contract," concluded Pascal Loignon.