Pete
11th December 2003, 15:08
The power of labour.
Quebec protests snarl traffic, shipping, day care (CBC) (http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/11/quebec_031211)
MONTREAL - Thousands of angry public sector workers across Quebec are staging what they're calling a day of action to protest against Premier Jean Charest's plans to merge union locals and to contract out some jobs.
The Confederation of National Trade Unions (CNTU) organized the mass protests. While most of the demonstrations are expected in Montreal, organizers hope a million people will come out across the province.
Montrealers immediately felt the effects of the protests.
The city's morning bus travel was disrupted after the doors of two bus garages were sealed. Several highways have been blocked by unionized protesters.
Protesters are stopping ships from entering ports in Montreal, Quebec City and Trois Rivieres.
Hospitals in Montreal have cancelled surgeries. Other hospitals across the province are reduced to essential services. Parents are scrambling to find child care as more than half of the city's public daycare centres shut down for the day.
Day care workers are opposed to a decision to raise daily daycare fees to $7 from $5.
Charest Thursday called on union leaders to control their membership and to immediately restore all public services.
"Now is the time for them to act, and to remind their membership that they have made a personal commitment that they would express themselves in the spirit of respect," said Charest.
Also at issue is a proposal to trim the size of the provincial government and reduce the presence of unions in the health care sector.
CNTU president Arthur Sanborn said Quebec workers didn't vote for these changes when they elected Charest.
Charest defended his proposed changes, saying the provincial government needs more outside contracting and more private sector partnerships to modernize.
Quebec protests snarl traffic, shipping, day care (CBC) (http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/12/11/quebec_031211)
MONTREAL - Thousands of angry public sector workers across Quebec are staging what they're calling a day of action to protest against Premier Jean Charest's plans to merge union locals and to contract out some jobs.
The Confederation of National Trade Unions (CNTU) organized the mass protests. While most of the demonstrations are expected in Montreal, organizers hope a million people will come out across the province.
Montrealers immediately felt the effects of the protests.
The city's morning bus travel was disrupted after the doors of two bus garages were sealed. Several highways have been blocked by unionized protesters.
Protesters are stopping ships from entering ports in Montreal, Quebec City and Trois Rivieres.
Hospitals in Montreal have cancelled surgeries. Other hospitals across the province are reduced to essential services. Parents are scrambling to find child care as more than half of the city's public daycare centres shut down for the day.
Day care workers are opposed to a decision to raise daily daycare fees to $7 from $5.
Charest Thursday called on union leaders to control their membership and to immediately restore all public services.
"Now is the time for them to act, and to remind their membership that they have made a personal commitment that they would express themselves in the spirit of respect," said Charest.
Also at issue is a proposal to trim the size of the provincial government and reduce the presence of unions in the health care sector.
CNTU president Arthur Sanborn said Quebec workers didn't vote for these changes when they elected Charest.
Charest defended his proposed changes, saying the provincial government needs more outside contracting and more private sector partnerships to modernize.