Beaconsfield blue collars set to strike

Blue-collar workers in Beaconsfield, who have been without a collective agreement since 2006, may go on strike on Friday Sept.18, The Chronicle has learned.

"The reason for their going on strike, according to their strike notice, is a failure for us to reach an agreement on minimum staffing," said Mayor Bob Benedetti, adding the union has asked for an indefinite strike mandate as of Friday, which happens to be the start of the municipal electoral period in Quebec.

Benedetti said the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal, the union which covers all blue-collars across the Island of Montreal, wants a minimum of 33 permanent employees in Beaconsfield, whereas the city does not feel it is necessary to raise that number above 23.

"We don' think the taxpayers of Beaconsfield, after we've had 23 employees, would suddenly agree for us to have 33," he said.

Benedetti added the demand for a higher minimum staffing level also had strict restrictions to contracting work externally, which the city does on occasion in order to alleviate burdens on taxpayers.

"We knew (the union) was starting to use the (strike) tactic like they did in Kirkland, and they did in Dorval," said Benedetti, stating he was not surprised.

Kirkland signed a collective agreement with its union two weeks ago, after workers there walked out on a three-day strike in June, and threatened to do so once more later in July, without actually doing so.

In late August, Dorval's union also threatened a strike, but later came to an agreement in principle with the city.

Meanwhile, the situation in Beaconsfield has already turned political, with mayoral hopeful Hela Labene charging union employees went on strike because the city was looking for employees to accept a $5 pay cut.

"They don't want to have $5 less on their paychecks," Labene said, adding the union was upset a well-paid city council and administration could turn around and ask blue collar workers for a salary decrease.

Benedetti absolutely denied any pay cut demands had been made. "That's not even close to the truth," he said, insisting the minimum-staffing level is what unionized employees decided to walk out on.

Labene, who informed The Chronicle about the impending strike but would not reveal where she got her information, also said she thought of being mayor or councillor as volunteering.

"It's not a job, really, it's volunteer work," she said.

In January 2007, Benedetti and Beaconsfield's council voted themselves a pay raise, bringing each councillor's salary up to $10,000, and the mayor's to $30,000. David Pollock, District 6 councillor who is now also running for mayor, opposed the motion.

The pay remains the lowest for elected officials in the West Island for a municipality of comparable size to Beaconsfield, but that is not good enough for Labene.

"I don't want to have a salary," Labene said. "I will not be paid," she confirmed, asked to clarify whether this meant she would do the mayor's job for free.

Labene explained she is independently wealthy, thanks to owning property in Beaconsfield and St. Laurent that she rents out, as well as running her own business.

Negotiating teams from Beaconsfield and the union are supposed to meet with Quebec's Essential Services Council in order to agree to a list of crucial services to the city that would continue to be provided in case of a strike.