Workers at the McInnis quarry and cement plant in Gaspésie announced on Monday that they have given themselves a strike mandate, which they will exercise at the appropriate time, in a proportion of 100% and 98.6%.

This vote follows the unanimous rejection of a so-called “final and global” offer from the employer, said the Syndicat des Métallos, affiliated with the FTQ, in a press release.

The union added that the workers had already unanimously rejected a previous offer from the employer on March 31 and April 1. Among the points of controversy: wages, the pension plan and some normative articles of the collective agreement.

Steelworkers Local 9602 President Renaud Langlois said working conditions at the McInnis cement plant were, in his view, inferior to those offered at other cement plants, such as Lafarge in Saint-Constant and Ciment Québec in Saint-Basile. -de-Portneuf. He claims, however, that McInnis produces twice as much cement.

“The employer must take the message and transmit mandates accordingly to its union negotiators by mid-June,” argued the union representative of the Steelworkers, Éric Matte.

Negotiations are scheduled for June 13 and 14, the union added.