'Short of a miracle,' Quebec construction workers to strike at midnight

Faced with 1,400 Quebec government engineers walking off the job at midnight and the loomingpossibility of all construction workers in the province joining them, Labour Minister Dominique Viensaid the government is already looking at tabling back-to-work legislation in the event of a general strike.

The government engineers have had a strike mandate for nearly a year, and their union president, Marc-Andr Martin, said a week of negotiations has ended without notable progress.

"The time has come to recognize that the Couillard government has neither the intention nor the will to ensure it keepsengineering expertise in the public service," said Martin in a news release.

The union lists, among other concerns, the government's inability to attract and keepexperienced engineers, in spite of the Charbonneau commission's recommendation that itmust re-establish internal engineering expertise in order to fight collusion and corruption.

'I'd have to act': Viens

With about half the government's engineers working for the Transport Ministry, theirstrike alone could compromise the 2017 roadwork season.

Quebec's 175,000 construction workers also have a strike mandate, with 93 per cent voting in favour of job action earlier this month after their collective agreements expired April 30.

The labour minister said Tuesday morning she called labour federations and construction industry employers back to the negotiating table over the weekend, to compel both sides to keep talking until the last possible minute.

"I'm exhorting the parties to arrive at a negotiated settlement by the end of the day," Viens said. "If we are still at an impasse tonight, I'd have to act. Neither the unions nor the management side would come out ahead."

Asked by reporters what she meant by "I'd have to act," Vienacknowledged the government is ready to table back-to-work legislation.

"It's one of the options we're looking at right now," she said.

Cost of general strike: $45M daily

"The ministry evaluates the economic loss at $45 million a day, in the case of construction workers going on strike at midnight tonight," saidVien.

She said she's met with union leaders nine times and has not refused any requests to meet.

• Montreal to spend $684M in upgrades to roads, sewers and aquaducts in 2017

• Major construction, roadwork unveiled for next 10 years

A spokesperson for the alliance of construction unions, Michel Trpanier, said work-life balance is a key issue in the negotiations.

With employers groups demanding the ability to change workers' schedules at short notice, "it's impossible to fulfill our responsibilities to our children and families," he said.

As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, both sides were still at the bargaining table, andTrpanier said as long as both sides are talking, he is optimistic a settlement can be reached by the midnight deadline.

However, a spokespersonfor one of the main employers' groups said he believes a general strike is inevitable.

"Short of a miracle and I don't believe too much in miracles we're headed for a general strike tonight,'' said Franois-William Simard.

"Since the beginning of the negotiations, we haven't really felt a willingness on the unions' part to reach an agreement."