MONTREAL, May 22 - More than 300 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) employed at the Old Port of Montreal will be launching a 48-hour strike on Sunday, May 25, to protest against management's comtemptuous attitude towards young workers.

"This dispute has to do with the manner in which young people entering the workforce are being treated in our society" pointed out local president Mhaji Mouhssine. "Young workers must have access to wages and working conditions which reflect the respect given to youth in our society," he added.

Mouhssine indicated that it is not out of the question for these workers to hold a general strike for an indefinite period of time if management does not soon table a reasonable offer.

"We have been negotiating for over a year, and management has yet to show us an offer which could lead to a settlement of this labour dispute."

According to the local president, the Corporation of the Old Port of Montreal is showing its contempt for young people by continuing to promote job insecurity in hiring practices and unacceptable working conditions.

"Is this the legacy we want to leave our youth?" inquired Mouhssine. "Are we supposed to agree to have young workers treated more poorly than were their elders?"

The vast majority of Old Port of Montreal employees are under 30 years of age. They work in the Imax Cinema and on the canal locks and provide guided tours. Their average salary is just above minimum wage.