Beverly Bernardo (center holding flyers), Communist League candidate for mayor of Villeray-St. Michel-Parc-Extension, talks to striking members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Around 5,000 Montreal “blue collar” workers, members of the union’s Local 301, struck for 24 hours August 31 to protest contracting out of their jobs and the refusal of city bosses headed by Mayor Gerald Tremblay to negotiate a new contract. The workers have been without a pact for two years.

Hundreds of strikers converged on city hall during the day waving placards. The previous day Tremblay and Louise Harel, the major capitalist mayoral candidates, officially launched their campaigns for the November 1 municipal elections. Both have been silent on the workers’ demands. At the picket line outside city hall later that afternoon CUPE 301 president Michel Parent spoke to the Militant and Bernardo. “Through this action we are speaking to the people of Montreal about the situation. Contracting out our jobs means loss of services,” he said.

—JOHN STEELE