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17 month lockout at GMC Bérubé at Rivière-du-Loup

It's already been 17 month that employé.e.s home GMC Berube in Riviere-du-loup are locked out and picketed the garage at the rate of twenty hours per week. They were 13 in the beginning, but since, 3 filed their resignation against the arrogance of the bosses, calling it proud old man who must always be right. These are all mécanicien.nes, Workers in the body and préposé.e.s to parts that are now unemployed. These employé.e.s, many have 30 at 35 years of service to the garage and certain.e.s are agé.es more 60 years. Kick out people almost retired and have offered their work throughout these years, never enjoy the appreciation course, is doing in the dirty and greedy. It remains now that gérant.e.s and vendeur.se.s in establishing. For guarantees, the company sends client.e.s Montmagny or in Rimouski.

The collective agreement expired in February 2016. In July, the boss has left five days to decide whether to employé.e.s il.elle.s wanted to '' negotiate ''; or, it was the lockout. To begin negotiations, the boss said: «going to have to lower myself to consent 5,5 % in pension funds and two years of wage freeze, if not, we not lose time discussing. "With the premise that way, there is agreement that the negotiating word comes to take a slap. Basically, he asks them to drop their gains. The reason for this request: it must remain competitive. Sure, The option to lower his own salary was not a but more, the company is already competitive. For exemple, Volkswagon charging $ 99 / hr while GMC Bérubé request $ 94 / hr currently. At the competition aspect, we will return.

Last July, the employé.e.s finally agreed to a wage freeze but not the pension decrease. Thing the boss refused. Result: negotiations have not been included. It is important to remember that the pension fund has already been cut 5% in 2009. after negotiations, il.elle.s had finally accepted to cut their pay 1% per year over five years to keep the retirement fund.

Another return to the negotiating table was scheduled for 28 September 2017. The boss offered two scenarios (always BEFORE starting negotiations):

1- Acceptance of decline 5% the pension fund.

2- We keep the 5% pension funds, but cutting 4% on the indexed salary in year 2016.

 

We could quickly believe it's four 25 for a dollar. Well no, It's worse! because in 2016, la CSN (representing tou.te.s other syndiqué.e.s dealers in the region) obtained a gain 2,5% salary. This means that employé.e.s GMC Bérubé should lose 4% their salary + the 2,5% qu'il.elle.s did not get compared to other travailleur.se.s the region. We are talking over a pay cut of around 6,5%. Another osti pernicious and dishonest boss. Of course, the union and its members refused and negotiations have stalled.

As il.elle.s are locked out since 15 month, the employé.e.s therefore no longer entitled to unemployment. In September, il.elle.s asked the boss to do back at least to their unemployment stamps. The boss has offered to resume 3 for urgent needs. This offer was refused : It's everybody or nobody. A fine example of solidarity. In terms of other travailleur.se.s car dealers in the region, CSN union at, il.elle.s supported the GMC Bérubé employé.e.s home by a hot dog dinner and a picket of a day to offer more visibility during the summer.

The problem of this conflict is that with the loss of the banner in his GMC another garage in Trois-Pistole, the boss has received a large amount of compensatory money and it has deep pockets for cash a long labor dispute. It is therefore in no hurry to return to the negotiating table.

Because the world of "crossers" is small, imagine that the owner is very thug "chummy chummy" with the car dealers owners Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (Jean Dumas Multiconcessionnaires and Sewing Group). These same bastards who have been locked out more 450 for employees 35 month. Apparently a customary practice

in the middle. Not to mention the use of Scabs. Jean Dumas Multiconcessionnaires at the time had acquired an independent garage to make to its work during lockout. As this is a new facility, it was legal before the law. For GMC Bérubé, poor boss did not afford another garage (in Rivière-du-loup, because of course, he has another in Trois-Pistole). He therefore urged his son to be the Manager garage parts and so be able to continue its operations. He happily lost in court because of strike-breakers use. A beautiful family history stuff : The grandfather used capital, father used an iron hand and the son who serves scab… like what the rotten apples never fall far from the tree.

To finish, it will be interesting to monitor the sewing group has just bought the company ClicheAuto Beauce and leaves to predict the same scenario lockout shortly…

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