Office workers at Notre Dame Des Neiges Cemetery protested Sunday at the gates of the same burial grounds that were paralyzed by a work dispute two years ago.
Then, it was the groundskeepers fighting for a contract.
On Mother's Day, it was the office workers. The 28 workers, who are mostly women, have been without a contract since October 2008.
They handed out roses to visitors and talked to them about their situation. The union wants changes to the schedule and considerations for non-permanent employees.
"When a permanent person decides to retire, they don't have to take me even after so many years of seniority," said Marilena Laezza. "They can just go and take some one else, and I just don't find that's fair, since I've been here for so long, and I know the job, and I know what goes on here, and I know the customers."
The office workers are seeking equal treatment to that of their mostly-male counterparts.
"There's nothing wrong with that," said one visitor.
Nightmare at the Cemetery
On May 16 2007, a work dispute with the maintenance employees led management to stage a lock out, which prompted the union to declare a general strike the day after.
About 130 unionized employees were on strike until early September. The grass grew tall and the bodies were put into cold storage.
A class action lawsuit was launched against the cemetery's management two months into the strike. The families wanted the cemetery workers to be deemed an essential service, so any future labour disputes would not completely halt the interment of bodies.
By the end of the strike, there were about 500 bodies waiting to be buried.
