Quebec labour minister Jean Boulet proposes having an arbitrator to settle Notre-Dame-des-Neiges labour disput
Posted July 10, 2023 11:26 pm.
Last Updated July 10, 2023 11:32 pm.
Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet spoke with the union and employer of the cemetery on Monday, proposing to have an independent arbitrator intervene in the labour dispute. If both parties agree to the proposition within the next 48 hours, it may soon put an end to the conflict once and for all.
“I felt that there was a will from both sides to settle the situation as quickly as possible,” said Quebec labour minister Jean Boulet.
Minister Boulet said he will only be facilitating the discussion between the workers on strike and its employer, La Fabrique de la paroisse Notre-Dame de Montréal. He can, however, appoint an arbitrator if the parties request for one.
“As soon as I refer the situation to a dispute arbitrator, it puts an end to the labour conflict,” said minister Boulet. “And I’m very optimistic. If I understood well, the employer, they were extremely positive and I’m expecting them to present a request as soon as possible.”
Patrick Chartrand, the union president representing the maintenance workers of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery, says he will be meeting with other groundskeeper and maintenance workers on Tuesday to discuss whether they consent to having an arbitrator involved in the matter.
“It means another party that might decide our fate,” said Chartrand. “So, it’s a big decision.
“Both parties have to agree on what we give to the arbitrator. He’s the one who is deciding. We choose things that we don’t agree upon. This is what we want the arbitrator to decide on and he decides it. But the thing is, when an arbitrator is named — when it’s official — we have to go back to work.
Michael Musacchio, whose daughter is buried at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, has been breaking into the cemetery to visit and maintain his daughter’s grave. He’s hoping the “mental torture” ends soon.
“I sincerely hope that something comes out of this, that they don’t jump the gun and cut themselves on the back and say ‘we have an agreement’ and then, until they vote for it, it gets rejected again,” said Musacchio, referring to the agreement that fell through in June. “It was very hurtful because you’re raising the hopes of people, that finally we can get some closure and then all of a sudden it’s a slap in the face.”
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“They’re forcing us to make our grief public. And it’s not something that we should do.”
Quebec labour minister Boulet said, “when we exercise our right to strike, it’s to put pressure on the other party to accept having work conditions included in the collective labour agreement. Right now, this is not what the right to strike is doing. It is causing pain to families. It is bringing sadness to many people. There is an impact that is disproportionate to the issue, notably on human dignity.
“We are extremely sensitive to the situation of the bereaved families and to the Quebec human beings. We will work as intensely as possible to settle and find an agreement in principle or a decision that has to be handed down to the arbitrator diligently.”
