With negotiations still at an impasse, about 200 members of the Syndicat des Employees de la Société Québécoise du Cannabis (SQDC) went on strike in about fifteen branches across the province on Saturday.
• Also read: Strike in fifteen SQDC branches
The CSN-affiliated union earlier this month voted to secure a bank of five strike days to put pressure on the SQDC leadership. According to union president Maxime Nadeau, Saturday’s strike will show the vital work of its members when the Formula 1 Grand Prix returns after a two-year absence.
“Our wage negotiations are still stuck and the employer has still not come up with a decent wage offer. That’s why we went on strike again today, on a weekend with very high traffic at a time when our know-how is in high demand,” explained Maxime Nadeau.
The employees of the SQDC complain about a discrepancy of more than 38% between them and their colleagues at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ). Currently the salary upon entry into SQDC is $17.12 per hour and it takes about eight years to reach the 12th level which is fixed at $21.23 per hour.
“We again urge the employer to settle these negotiations as soon as possible. The Treasury Board needs to give the SQDC clear mandates as soon as possible to reach an agreement that is satisfactory to the parties,” said Stéphanie Gratton, Vice President of the Federation of Public Service Employees (FEESP-CSN).