Union solidarity was on the agenda this morning in the streets of Quebec City. Members of the National Battlefields Commission (NBC) held a rally to demand a fair and equitable collective agreement. The stakes are high because these members are currently in negotiation, while their collective agreement expired at the end of 2017.
The UNE represents this group of workers with various positions such as gardener, guide, landscaper, or communications employee, with the exception of the NBC police.
The majority of these members have precarious jobs and it is important that the employer make a gesture. “There are many people who are on call, seasonal, and for those who are on call, even if they have been working for the NBC for 10 or 15 years, they have no benefits or funds pension, “says Claudia Bellavance, a member of the Union bargaining committee. (translated quote from the article by Ici Radio-Canada, in French only).
These workers are facing many obstacles in their careers and demand better working conditions, especially women workers who are planning a pregnancy. Wage disparity is also at the heart of bargaining with the employer, as well as work-family balance.
The status quo is unacceptable, and members are determined to fight for the new collective agreement to recognize their rights.