Did you know that the minimum working conditions of certain employees working in the maintenance industry of public buildings are stipulated in a law other than the Act respecting Labour Standards? In the Montreal region, these employees' minimum working conditions are set out in the Decree respecting building service employees in the Montreal region (hereinafter, the Montreal Decree). The Montreal Decree also covers the regions of the Outaouais, Laurentians/Lanaudière, Montérégie, Laval, Mauricie, as well as part of the Eastern Townships and the region of Centre-du-Québec. A separate decree provides for the minimum working conditions of employees working in the maintenance of public buildings in the Quebec region.
In addition, significant changes were recently made to the Montreal Decree. These amendments came into force on the date of the publication of the Decree to amend the Decree respecting building service employees in the Montreal region in the Gazette Officielle du Quebec, on November 9, 2011 (hereinafter, the New Montreal Decree).
Amongst other things, the New Montreal Decree no longer applies to janitors residing in a house with several apartments or units or in a co-ownership. Moreover, an increase in wages and employer contributions to the employees' group RRSP is also provided. More specifically, a wage increase of 2.25% taking effect as of the coming into force of the New Montreal Decree as well as annual wage increases ranging from 2.25% to 2.60% are set out until 2017. As for the employees' group RRSP, the employer's contribution increases from $0.10 to $0.15 for each hour paid and the contribution will be increased annually by $0.05 until 2017.
The tables below summarize the new increases applicable:
Click here to view the tables.
