Chteauguay cops can wear cowboy costumes, labour board rules

Quebec's labour relations board has ruled that police officers in Chteauguay, Que., can continue to protest against pension reform by wearing old-west sheriffcostumes.

• Old-west sheriff costumes donned by protesting police force in Chteauguay, Que.
• Bill 3, Quebec's controversial pension reform, passes into law

Police officers in the municipality located on Montreals SouthShore donned sheriff uniforms on Nov. 14,complete with cowboy boots, dark cowboy hats pinned with a sheriffs badge, and lapel badges shaped like stars.

They wore the costumes as a sign of protest against Bill 3, the municipal pension reform bill that was passed into law today.

TheChteauguayPolice Brotherhood union spent $25,000 on the cowboy-themed uniforms.

The city quickly complained to the labour relations board that the outfits were dangerous and would lead to confusion for citizens.

In a decision rendered the same day Bill 3 was adopted by the province, the board saidthe city presented no evidence to support its position and that officers may continue to dress like cowboys.

Montreal mayor pushes for regular uniforms

In Montreal, Mayor Denis Coderre took to Twitter to reiterate that he would like to see Montreal police officers lose their red caps and army pants and go back to their normal uniforms now that Bill 3 has been passed in the National Assembly and that the funeral for former Habs legend Jean Bliveauis set for next week.

"With the event of Jean Bliveau's funeral (and since the adoption of Bill 3) I expect that our officers wear their full uniform," his Tweet said.

The Montreal Police Brotherhood has not responded to the tweet.

Bill 3 states that municipalities and employees are to split pension contributions 50-50.

It could make city employees pay more, and some retirees may also be on the hook for pension shortfalls. Current retirees could have indexed pension increases put on hold.