MONTREAL — Union leaders are facing hard accusations that recent actions some of its members have been taking are illegal.
Union bosses representing the police and fire departments and the blue collar workers are all before Quebec’s Labour Relations Board.
City officials are accusing some unionized members of breaking the law.
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In one case, the city insists the demonstration in front of city hall in June, when a fire was lit and debris thrown around, was an illegal strike.
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City officials are also accusing some police officers of refusing to write tickets for traffic violations and for switching cruisers between stations without permission.
But union leaders are denouncing the accusations.
Michel Parent, president of the blue collar union, insisted Montreal is turning all of this into a political show. He said the actions taken on June 17 weren’t illegal; rather, workers were protesting during their legal union break.
“You can take a break where ever you like,” Parent said.
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Montreal’s director of labour relations maintained that this is simply untrue.
“That demonstration was illegal,” he said.
Union leaders and city officials do agree on one thing: they both hope the latest disputes will be resolved in the coming days.
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