Montreal

Champlain Bridge: Crane operators organize surprise protest

Crane operators with the FTQ-Construction union went to the offices of their employers at SNC-Lavalin this morning.

FTQ-Construction union upset with SNC-Lavalin hiring workers outside of the Montreal region

Crane operators went to SNC-Lavalin and Montreal City Hall Friday morning. (Thomas Gerbet/Radio-Canada)

Crane operators with the FTQ-Construction union protested this morning outside the offices of their employers at SNC-Lavalin in downtown Montreal.

The workers denounced the hiring of crane operators from outside the Montreal region to work on the new Champlain Bridge.

These are similar claims to those taken up by FTQ-Construction union representative Bernard "Rambo" Gauthier on Quebec's North Shore for several years. 

In June, more than 150 construction workers on the North Shore took to the streets over the issue. ​

A delegation of crane workers made their way to the offices of SNC-Lavalin Friday morning to hand over a list unemployed crane operators from Montreal. 

The group's plan was to meet with with SNC-Lavalin representatives but the doors at the main entrance were locked.

The workers then went to Montreal's City Hall to ask Mayor Denis Coderre to intervene and ensure that only Montreal-based operators are hired on the local work site.

Radio-Canada has learned that six of the crane operators working on the new Champlain Bridge come from outside the region of Montreal. Some live in Quebec City.

The union estimates that about 20 crane operators are currently unemployed in Montreal and that they have the necessary skills to work on the new bridge. 

The FTQ-Construction union believes that employers should hire within the surrounding areas of the construction site.

The union takes issue with loopholes in the law and is accusing SNC-Lavalin of profiting from it.