Forty blue-collar workers from visible minorities deplore the inaction of the leaders of the Montreal-Nord borough and the city as well as the lack of compensation for the racism unveiled last spring in two reports.
“There are people here who have never had an opportunity for advancement. No salary increase. No stability. Why admit that there is a problem, if you don’t want to offer compensation? The boots must follow the lips. ”
Franklin Bismar’s voice suddenly rises during the press briefing organized by the Center for Action Research on Race Relations.
It demands compensation and a profound culture change to avoid any discriminatory practices.
PHOTO PASCAL RATTHÉ, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Franklin bismar
I do not think that a check can give us back what we have lost in terms of dignity. We want the City to realize that it has harmed people who support their families.
Franklin bismar
Jean-Edvard Joseph takes care of the housekeeping of a municipal swimming pool. Given his seniority, he should have obtained the position posted in 2013 which allowed him to advance in his function and obtain job security.
“According to the collective agreement, the oldest by section can obtain tenure,” adds the man bitterly.
However, a hastily transferred employee from another section got the coveted job. Favoritism, pleads Mr. Joseph. After a complaint for poor union representation, he was proven right. “They did not have the choice to give me the permanence”, concludes the concierge.
“As soon as there is an opening for a permanent position, there is a pretext to reject our candidacy,” says Mr. Joseph.
Reports, little action
Two reports published last May reported discrimination against blue-collar workers from visible minorities in the Montréal-Nord borough. It reported favoritism towards white candidates, pressure on foremen to form racially homogeneous teams, a “toxic climate” and repercussions among certain blue-collar workers who dared to denounce the situation.
Read “White privileges among blue-collar workers in Montreal-North”
Victims of discrimination have seen very little action since the release of the reports, despite the recommendations, deplores Jean-Newton Jeantine, who works at the Montreal-North road network.
“When there are injuries, repairs are needed. The union let us down. They neglected our cause, namely racism, ”denounces the employee at the Montreal-North road network.
A discussion between the employer and union parties on the settlement of all the borough’s grievances has certainly started.
But blue-collar workers from a visible minority, mostly of Haitian origin, blame the union for not having held an information and consultation session.
Despite the tabling of reports ordered by the union and the employer, harmful practices remain, believes Patrick Roy, union representative in Montreal-North for 13 years.
We are not able to have lists of seniority or eligibility for a position. They don’t want to give them to the local union.
Patrick Roy, union delegate in Montreal-North
A collective grievance for moral damages has been filed, but the union has not met with the people concerned or investigated, says Patrick Roy. Grievances prior to the release of the report will be linked to a confidentiality clause. “We cannot therefore plead a collective grievance for these. That weakens the grievance of moral damages, and we will not be able to have compensation. ”
Awareness campaign
“We are working hard with external specialists to set up a vast awareness and training campaign on the negative effects of racism and discrimination in all our workplaces. All union delegates and committee members will be trained to [reconnaître] and fight racist or discriminatory acts, ”said Luc Bisson, president of the Montreal Union of Blue Collars Grouped, in a press release.
“With the participation of the local representatives concerned, all settlement proposals will be submitted to those affected for approval,” adds Frantz Élie, union advisor at the Canadian Union of Public Employees, regarding grievances related to racism.
The borough of Montreal-North believes it can reach a solution through negotiation, outside the courts, according to a press release published a few hours after the exit of the blue collar workers. “Productive meetings [avec le syndicat] have already taken place and will continue in the coming days in order to reach a satisfactory agreement for all parties. ”
Several actions have been implemented since, it is assured. We speak in particular of a “joint project with the union”, which “reviews all practices related to staff movements and which has been deployed for more than six months”.
Plante and Coderre are reassuring
We must fight all forms of discrimination when they occur and ensure that there is a confidential line to denounce it, explained Denis Coderre, called to react on the sidelines of a press briefing. “When I have the file in my hands, we’ll look at it. When we talk about systemic racism and racial profiling […], we must be exemplary, ”adds the candidate for mayor of Montreal.
The outgoing mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, is reassuring, recalling that her administration has recognized the existence of racism and systemic discrimination, and is committed to curbing the problem in all its forms.
The team of Will Prosper, candidate for mayor of the Montreal-North borough, will “ensure that the work climate in the borough is healthy and exemplary for all employees”, adds the attaché press release from Mme Plante, Youssef Amane. “Mr. Prosper and his team are in the best position to advance this issue in Montreal-North. ”