Both parties say animals will be taken care of in the event of a labour disruption.
Union members at the Granby Zoo have given themselves a 10-day strike mandate to be exercised when they deem appropriate.
The mandate could be divided into half-days, isolated days or consecutive days, said Denis Beaudin, president of the Conseil central des syndicats nationaux de l’Estrie. No date has been set.
The CSN-affiliated union represents about 130 workers, including office staff, animal-care technicians, mechanics, naturalist interpreters, carpenters and others.
Beaudin said negotiations are “advancing at a snail’s pace” after 14 sessions, including four in conciliation. He said barely 10 per cent of the normative clauses have been settled and the parties have not yet addressed the salary issue.
The employer responded that to its “great dismay, the availability is not necessarily there on the union side” to accelerate the pace of negotiations. “I would like things to move forward at a better pace,” said Paul Gosselin, president and CEO of the Granby Zoo.
Among the points in dispute are seasonal employment status and access to positions linked to seniority, the union says.
Gosselin said if the union were to exercise its strike mandate, “certain executives will ensure animal welfare,” will take care of feeding them, taking them out. So, “it will continue as planned” in the different establishments and the animals “would remain visible” to zoo-goers, he said.
The union also insists the animals would not suffer from a possible walkout.
“Be assured that despite the pressure tactics, despite the strike mandate, the priority of the employees remains and will always remain the well-being of the animals and that no animal will lack care or suffer from it,” Beaudin said.
The collective agreement expired in December 2023.
The negotiations are continuing, with further meetings planned for July, both parties said.