Unionized office workers at the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery went on a day-long strike on Tuesday to protest against the five-day suspension of its president, Éric Dufault.

“This second arbitrary suspension for a period of one week only deteriorates the work climate at the cemetery this summer,” denounced Chantal Ide, first vice-president of the Central Council of Metropolitan Montreal-CSN, by press release.

According to the union, Éric Dufault is “a model employee who has no disciplinary notice in his file” and his suspension “is directly linked to his role as a union representative”.

Without a contract for five years, the employees want to renew their collective agreement, but discussions with the employer are mainly stumbling over salary increases. The union of office workers recently adopted a five-day strike mandate, to denounce the failure of the negotiations.

“The working conditions of the staff are difficult. And complaints are piling up to denounce the poor maintenance of the cemetery caused by the elimination of many workstations,” said Simon-Mathieu Malenfant, vice-president and treasurer of the Federation of Public Service Employees-CSN.

These office workers are the "first responders for the families of people who rest in the cemetery", recalled Mr. Malenfant, stressing that they have to deal with customers who are very dissatisfied with the administration of the Fabrique of the parish of Notre-Dame. .

Last week, “Le Journal de Montreal” revealed that the administration had to hire a security guard as tension between visitors, unhappy with the poor condition of the cemetery, and employees increases due to the labor dispute.

Thousands of graves are covered with weeds and invasive plants, making circulation between the aisles difficult, not to mention the many marmot holes.