MONTRÉAL, QC – Almost 20 years after a Supreme Court of Canada decision determined that tenants of Place des Arts were not legally bound by the Union’s collective agreement with Place des Arts, IATSE Local 56 secured an organizing victory and was able to win a certification for the last of Place des Art’s main resident companies. Local 56 previously secured certifications with the Grands Ballets Canadiens in 2000 and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal in 2022. The Local had been performing work at the Opéra de Montréal under a service agreement since the early 2000s, after having lost jurisdiction during the 1999 strike at Place des Arts and subsequent Supreme Court decision.

In April of this year, Local 56 filed an application for certification with near unanimous support from the workers. After some discussion with the employer regarding what the future of labour relations between the Union and the Opera would look like, the employer abstained from voicing any objections at the Labour Board, paving the way for certification.

On August 18, the Quebec Labour Relations Board (TAT) issued its decision awarding bargaining rights to the Local, bringing the Opéra de Montréal under a soon-to-be negotiated collective agreement for the first time since 1999.

“This is an important win for the members of Local 56,” said President Natalie Goyer. “We love the work that we do at the Opéra de Montréal, and it’s a great feeling to be able to perform it once again under the security of a full collective agreement.”

For more information, contact:
Krista Hurdon, IATSE International Representative
khurdon@iatse.net