Striking Quebec public sector workers cause disruptions in Montreal

Quebec's striking public sector workers are holding demonstrations today in Montreal, with some protesters rallying outside the Palais de Justice.

Montreal police cleared the entrances that were blocked by protesters for nearly two hours this morning. The demonstrators included about 1,000 court clerks, court ushers and judges' secretaries who are off the job for the day.

Others rallied in front of Complexe Desjardins earlier in the day.

CEGEPs, daycares, schools in some regions of the province and many provincial government offices throughout the province are shut down today as part of a week of rotating strikes. 

Police in Quebec City also had to escort employees who are not on strike to entrances of several government buildings that were being blocked by protesters.

Negotiations between public sector employees and Quebec are at an impasse.

Civil servants have been without a contract since April.

Some 37,000 civil servants working in provincial government ministries and dozens of parapublic agencies, including RAMQ and the SAAQ, are on the picket line. In total, 125,000 workers, including those in health care and education, are part of the walkout on Tuesday.

Teachers at the Central Quebec and Eastern Shores school boards are among thousands of public sector workers striking Tuesday, with schools closed in Quebec City, Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands.

Workers are striking on different dates in different regions throughout the week. 

Among the CEGEPs closed Tuesday: Champlain College St. Lawrence in Quebec City, as well as French-language CEGEPs in Quebec City, Lac Mégantic, Baie-Comeau, Sept-Îles, Gaspé, the Chaudières-Appalaches region and across the Lower St-Lawrence.

Health-care establishments and French-language schools are also closed in the following regions:

• Quebec City
• Lower St-Lawrence
• North Shore
• Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands
• Chaudière-Appalaches

​Agencies affected

Provincial employees in most government ministries and many para-public agencies are also on strike today, in addition to Nov. 12 and 13, as well as Dec. 1, 2 and 3 — unless there is progress at the negotiating table before then.

The provincial agencies affected Tuesday include:

• Quebec Revenue Agency.
• Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ).
• Police Ethics Commission.
• UPAC (Quebec's anti-corruption commission).
• CSST (Workers' Health and Safety Board).
• Quebec Labour Relations board.
• Council for the Status of Women.
• Coroner's Office.
• Public Curator of Quebec.
• Consumer's Protection Office.
• Health Insurance Board (RAMQ).
• Automobile Insurance Board (SAAQ).
• Rental Board (Régie de Logement).
• Office québécois de la langue française.

For a complete list of offices closed today, click here.