Workers in Quebec's residential construction sector now on unlimited strike

Workers in Quebec's residential construction began an unlimited strike at midnight after failing to reach a deal with a group that represents residential developers in the province.

The two sides held talks on Tuesday, but failed to strike a deal to avoid the work stoppage.

The strike affects projects across Quebec for single-family homes, townhouses and residential buildings with six floors or less, excluding the basement. Projects for buildings with at least seven floors are not affected by this strike. The same goes for renovation, modification or maintenance projects paid for by a property owner.

The main sticking point in the negotiations is compensation, with the unions seeking salary increases of 22 per cent over four years for heavy construction and 24.3 per cent for light construction. 

The workers are part of an alliance made up of five unions: FTQ-Construction, the Syndicat québécois de la construction, the Conseil provincial du Québec des métiers de la construction (International), CSD-Construction and CSN-Construction. 

The developers are part of the Association des professionnels de la construction et de l'habitation du Québec (APCHQ). 

The unions represent 200,000 workers, but less than 20 per cent of them are in the residential construction sector, according to recent data from the province's construction commission.

The union members who work in the commercial, industrial and institutional construction sectors — which make up the vast majority of construction projects in the province  — already reached deals of their own in March. The salary increases in that deal totalled 22 per cent over four years, on par with what the workers in the residential sector are asking for.

As the negotiations dragged on, Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet expressed concerns about the impact a strike could have on people's ability to become home owners.

A mediator appointed by the province is working to help resolve the dispute.

"We will not be patient. Quebecers have a right to access housing and homeownership," Boulet told reporters on Wednesday morning. 

"There is a problem with housing access that's significant in Quebec so we have to increase our supply."

The alliance representing the five unions is expected to hold a news conference at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.