As the summer wildfire season looms, workers at Quebec’s forest fire agency have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike mandate, with 99 percent support.
Represented by the Unifor union, which includes firefighters among its members, the decision empowers workers to strike "at the opportune moment."
The vote stems from stalled negotiations over salaries, vacations, and workforce mobility, according to Unifor.
Employees of the fire services, managed by the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU), faced a particularly challenging wildfire season last year and anticipate similar demands this year.
However, despite the strike mandate, Quebec law mandates that SOPFEU workers must continue operations during a strike.