In the proposed three-year contract the company offered no wage increase in the first year and only 20 cents an hour in each of the next two years. Another factor in the "no" vote was the bosses' demand to alter the contract to allow them to technically fire workers who extend their vacations without authorization and to rehire them as new workers. This irritated many immigrant workers who need to take extended vacation time to travel more cheaply to their country of origin during peak summer shutdowns. The MCMA had initially demanded that all minimum wages be withdrawn from the contract, with no wage increases.

The offer had been presented to more than 1,000 members of the union at a general meeting December 4. Only two workers spoke at the meeting. The first was loudly applauded when he called for workers to reject the offer and for the vote to be taken on the spot. The other worker was booed by many when she said that union members should accept the offer and be grateful that we still have jobs given the impact of the events on September 11 on the economy.

The vote was taken the following day during working hours in each shop. However, the results of the vote in individual shops were not made public, as this had resulted in selective lockouts by the bosses in 1992.

In 1998, the MCMA collapsed during the negotiations process under the pressure of the growing competition in the industry and the determined resistance of UNITE members. The bosses were forced to withdraw several concession demands, including lower wages for new hires after a one-week strike.

Union members have returned to work pending further negotiations.

Sylvie Charbin is a sewing machine operator and a member of UNITE local 2581 in Montreal.  
 
 
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