Montreal

Canada Post employees protest in Montreal after 2 years without collective agreement

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Protest comes 15 months after back-to-work legislation was passed by federal government

Canada Post workers in Montreal took to the streets on Friday morning to voice their frustration after two years without a collective agreement. NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice addressed the crowd, saying he supports their cause. (Radio-Canada)

A group of Canada Post employees in Montreal held a protest Friday morning to voice their frustration with the fact they still have no collective agreement, 15 months after back-to-work legislation was passed by the federal government.

Employees have been without an agreement for exactly two years, with their last one expiring Jan. 31, 2018.

The protest was organized by the Montreal branch of the union and held in an industrial sector of the Saint-Laurent borough.

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The back-to-work legislation came into effect in November 2018 after five weeks of rotating strikes.

Alain Robitaille, president of the Montreal branch of the postal union, said employees are pushing for better working hours, especially considering that mail carriers work outside.

"We have people working long hours until seven, eight, nine at night. That's unacceptable," he said.

Robitaille said negotiations with Canada Post have broken down, but the union is willing to work out a deal.

"What we want is to address our concerns and the only way to do that is at the negotiating table."

Alain Robitaille, president of the Montreal branch of the postal union, said all employees want is to return to the negotiating table and work out a deal. (Radio-Canada)

Alexandre Boulerice, NDP MP for Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, addressed the crowd to throw his support behind their cause.

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"They deliver mail to our homes every day. They get up at crazy hours. They're outside whether it's nice or freezing," he said. "They deserve respect."

Another protest was held by Canada Post employees in Sherbrooke, Que. Friday morning.

Canada Post employees in Sherbrooke also held a protest to raise awareness about their lack of a collective agreement. (Radio-Canada)

Mail carrier Patrick Bleau said that the aim of Friday's protest was to remind people that the situation has not been resolved.

One of the principle issues the union is pushing for, Bleau said, is improved health and safety for people who have to work outside, in all weather, day and night.

"What we want is more normal hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. like everyone else. So people can spend time with their kids, their families," he said.

With files from La Presse Canadienne