The company had caught wind that there was to be an action at 3:00 p.m. and had sent everyone home an hour earlier. "We were discouraged on Monday morning when three strikers decided to cross the picket line but today when we saw the company send people home early, we realized we're still strong," said striker Jorge Barahona.

Mariano Ariete, the president of the local, explained that a union meeting had been organized right after the three had decided to cross to discuss the situation.

The strikers are members of the Metallurgy Federation of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN). After a seven-month strike from October 1999 to May 2000 that defeated company concession demands, the company embarked on a series of provocative attacks. José Bara-hona's opinion was that Mométal organized to push union members "in order to get rid of the union." They suspended Ariete without pay and then the entire executive committee. Workers then walked out November 6 to defend their union. Mométal subsequently fired the 128 workers who went on strike.

Despite the Quebec "anti-scab" law, the plant is operating with scabs at greatly reduced capacity. The strike has been declared "illegal" and an injunction prevents effective picketing.

At the demonstration, delegations from other CSN-organized workplaces came to support the strikers. These included representatives of truckers who are fighting to get their union recognized, members of Nova Métal, and workers who have been locked out for three years by an IGA grocery store in St. Hyacinthe. The store recently announced it was officially closing.

France Turcotte explained that of the 49 workers that originally had been locked out, 42 were still doing picket duty. Affirming that the locked-out workers were not discouraged by the closing, she explained, "Maybe we've lost our jobs, but the boss lost his company."

In good spirits and resolved to continue their fight, strikers and their supporters went for a supper organized by the union after the demonstration.

Reflecting the determination of workers, striker Eric Turcotte explained, "Even if I end up working elsewhere, I want to participate in any actions against Mométal."

Joanne Pritchard is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 500.  
 
 
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