Quebec park workers may ask for strike mandate

The Montmorency Falls near Quebec City. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press)

Around 2,500 union members who work at the provincial park agency (Société des établissements de plein air - Sépaq) will soon be asked to provide themselves with a mandate for pressure tactics that could go as far as an unlimited strike.

The workers are members of the Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) -- a large union independent of the centrals.

These union members work in the various national parks, wildlife reserves, campgrounds, tourist centres ,and at the Aquarium du Québec, among others.

The general meetings of members to vote on this mandate will take place in February and March in the establishments concerned, SFPQ president Christian Daigle said in an interview Friday.

The collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2023. Negotiations have been going on for several months, but Daigle said that the union is still waiting for a salary offer to be submitted. It seems that work on job classification, prior to this negotiation, has delayed the process.

“The monetary deposit will be proof of everything for the rest of things. It is certain that it is the cornerstone,” said Daigle.

If the SFPQ obtains the mandate it is seeking from its members, possible heavier pressure tactics could be exercised “from the beginning of the season,” said Daigle.

“We are thinking of the beginning of fishing in wildlife reserves. We are thinking of the beginning or opening, also, in parks. We are thinking of tourist resorts, campgrounds as well,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 24, 2025.