STM maintenance workers vote in favour of strike mandate

Maintenance employees withMontreal's public transit authorityhave voted overwhelmingly approvedasix-day rotating strike mandate.

The 2,400 STM workers who repair and service Montreal's buses and Metros voted 98 per cent in favour of a strike on Sunday at the union'sgeneral assembly meeting.

"It sends a clear message to our employer," said union president Gleason Frenette.

The union argues theSTM is "attackingthe different work-life balance measures" secured by workers in the past, saying employees have had enough of their demands.

• Montreal to add 300 hybrid buses to its fleet in 2020

The main sticking points are obligatory overtime hours and a shift in current flexible schedules.

"Our members are not on that track at all," said Frenette. "It's the complete opposite of what's currently happening in the job market."

The workers'collective agreement expired on Jan. 6. The two sides have met nearly 30 times in hopes of forging a new deal since last April.

Despite the vote in favour of pressure tactics, Frenette said there are no set days planned for a strike and the union is still ready to negotiate.

"We want to avoid a strike as long as we can," he said.