Strike at the Monastery residence
Workers take to the street for pay equity
A strike was launched at Aylmer Monastery September 30 due to various litigation, including salary inequities with other Chartwell Group retirement residences, as well as the signing of a new employment contract between the parties, their old one having expired April 1st.
When speaking with the Bulletin, Stéphane Lacroix, Director of Communications and Public Affairs of the Teamsters Union that represents the 110 employees of the Monastery, stated, “Beneficiary attendants here make $14 an hour on average, while their counterparts in other Chartwell Group establishments make $18 an hour. If we talk about the public sector, people there make $21 an hour. That’s the kind of disparity that causes labour shortages and endangers the care that institutions like this one can provide. Settling this situation is urgent.”
The strike began at 10 AM on September 30 and will continue until at least October 2, when the two parties meet at the negotiation table. Multiple days of negotiation and conciliation in recent months have not been sufficient to resolve the stalemate.
During the strike period, service to residents will not be disrupted as strikers will work in tandem both to protest on Principale Street and ensure that their usual duties are done.
President of the 106 branch of the Teamsters here in Aylmer, Jean Chartrand, said, “The Teamsters Union does not take residents hostage under any circumstances. Although this battle is important for our members and for all union members in this sector of activity, we will do so with respect for our elders, as usual. ”
André Fortin, Health Critic for Official Opposition, was also on hand to support the strikers before returning to the Quebec National Assembly.
This is what the Pontiac MPP had to say. “The people here are right to protest. It’s hard to understand how those who care for our seniors make so little money, especially when we know that there are people at the heart of the same company, in places other than Aylmer, who earn more. These are the people who will eventually take care of us when we are old. They deserve to be heard and they deserve better than what they are getting now.”
