Workers in Quebec's residential construction sector now on unlimited strike
Strike affects projects for single-family homes, townhouses and residential buildings
Workers in Quebec's residential construction industry began an unlimited strike at midnight after failing to reach a deal with a group that represents developers in the province.
The two sides held talks on Tuesday, but failed to strike a deal to avoid the work stoppage.
The strike affects projects across Quebec for single-family homes, townhouses and residential buildings with six floors or less, excluding the basement. Projects for buildings with at least seven floors are not affected by this strike. The same goes for renovation, modification or maintenance projects paid for by a property owner.
The main sticking point in the negotiations is compensation, with the unions seeking salary increases of 22 per cent over four years for heavy construction and 24.3 per cent for light construction.
The workers are part of an alliance made up of five unions: FTQ-Construction, the Syndicat québécois de la construction, the Conseil provincial du Québec des métiers de la construction (International), CSD-Construction and CSN-Construction.
The developers are part of the Association des professionnels de la construction et de l'habitation du Québec (APCHQ).
In a news release Tuesday, the APCHQ said it had offered 18 per cent salary increases over four years.
The unions represent 200,000 workers, but less than 20 per cent of them are in the residential construction sector, according to recent data from the province's construction commission.
Alexandre Ricard, the spokesperson for the Alliance syndicale de la construction, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that the latest offer from the APCHQ was not good enough.
But Ricard said the striking workers want pay parity with construction professionals who work in other sectors. He said their demands would not significantly raise home prices.
The union members who work in the commercial, industrial and institutional construction sectors — which make up the vast majority of construction projects in the province — already reached deals of their own in March. The salary increases in that deal totalled 22 per cent over four years, on par with what the workers in the residential sector are asking for.
As the negotiations dragged on, Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet expressed concerns about the impact a strike could have on people's ability to become home owners.
A mediator appointed by the province is working to help resolve the dispute.
"We will not be patient. Quebecers have a right to access housing and homeownership," Boulet told reporters on Wednesday morning.
"There is a problem with housing access that's significant in Quebec so we have to increase our supply."
There is no anti-scab law for construction workers in Quebec, so workers are allowed to stay on the job despite the strike.
Ricard said he hoped to convince workers to support the strike, however.
The APCHQ, meanwhile, said workers have a right to continue working free from threats or intimidation.
With files from Radio-Canada and La Presse Canadienne