Montreal blue-collar workers begin strike action, some parking rules suspended

Montreal blue-collar workers say that an 11 per cent increase in wages over five years is insufficient with the cost of living increases. (Olivia O'Malley/CTV News)

Over the next three days, Montrealers need not heed certain parking warnings in residential streets as blue-collar workers are on strike.

The city workers began striking at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. This is the second strike as part of negotiations for a collective agreement renewal. The prior agreement expired on Dec. 31. The previous strike was on Feb. 4.

The dispute is mainly over wages, with Montreal offering an 11 per cent increase over five years.

“We find it indecent that the administration of Soraya Martinez Ferrada continues to maintain the financial framework at 11 per cent,” said CUPE president Jean-Pierre Lauzon. “If we accept this, it is to say that we are impoverishing our blue-collar workers.”

Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said that there is no room to manoeuvre, however.

The union says the average municipal worker in Montreal earns about $55,000 per year, and that a minimum increase of seven per cent per year is needed.

In addition, the union says it has seen employees leave due to working conditions and wages. Since 2022, the union says around 50 mechanics have left.

In addition to the suspended parking restrictions, mechanical street sweepers will not be operating.

Parking regulations that have been suspended only pertain to street cleaning. Drivers must still respect other signage, like no parking, resident parking only, or disabled parking signs.

Waste collection will remain in place.

“Our blue-collar workers are there for the citizens. We don’t want to harm the citizens. We have arranged essential services so that everyone is safe in Montreal,” said Lauzon.

The local CUPE branch represents around 6,200 City of Montreal workers across 180 job titles.

With files from Noovo Info and The Canadian Press.