WATCH ABOVE: Blue collar workers across Montreal have gone on a 24-hour strike today. Rachel Lau is at City Hall.
MONTREAL — Blue collar workers have kicked off a full day of protests in the province of Quebec to protest Bill 3.
About 25 organizations were rallying in different areas throughout the city.
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At Montreal’s City Hall, protesters were dressed in camouflage pants, carrying signs and using noisemakers.
One protestor told Global News: “We just want to negotiate, to have a conversation, but the city doesn’t respond.”
A pocket of protesters were blocking several entrances of the Port of Montreal first thing on Wednesday morning, while Notre Dame Street was backed up as vehicles attempting to access the Port were forced to take a u-turn.
Unions say this is just the beginning
Quebec union spokesperson Marc Ranger addressed the media on Wednesday morning near City Hall, suggesting that the demonstrations were only a taste of what’s to come.
“We’re going to start a new kind of battle” he said.
“At this point we want to show we are angry and we won’t let this bill pass easily.”
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He added that he is aware these kind of protests might not sit well with public opinion.
“We need to be really careful but at the same time, we need to conduct this battle — bashing our working conditions won’t give a penny more to the citizens.”
The head of the Police Brotherhood Union also spoke out. Yves Francoeur said the 24-hour protest were to highlight the fact that firefighters’ morale was really low.
“They’re not interested in cooperating any more with the police department and city of Montreal.”
He added workers will continue to offer services as usual, because “we are responsible, not like politicians right now.”
Two more large protests are expected to take place Saturday, Nov. 29 in Quebec City and Montreal.
Protests elsewhere in the province
In Quebec City, access to the amphitheatre has been blocked and municipal vehicles are reported to be circulating at around 20 kms per hour on Quebec highways.
In Laval, traffic was affected on the Boulevard Industriel at Highway 440.
Public services have not been disrupted so far, and buses, metros and commuter trains are running as usual.
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