The lockout will be lifted at a Montreal cemetery, but the strike will go on -- one day per week.Management of the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery said Wednesday it will allow cremations and burials to resume there starting on Monday.
There are 498 bodies awaiting burial at the Roman Catholic cemetery, one of Canada's oldest and largest cemeteries and the resting place of notables like hockey legend Maurice (Rocket) Richard.
The 130 workers have been without a contract since December 2004. They went on strike after management locked them out on May 16.
The union representing the workers offered a proposal to management that would see them work four days per week and strike for one day until the dispute is resolved.
On Tuesday, a union leader said they wanted to end the lockout out of deference to families waiting for their loved ones to be buried.
"Since the beginning of the conflict, I mentioned many ... times that we have sympathy for the people," said Daniel Maillet.
"Once again, I tell you that we've been locked out on the 16th of May. We are dealing with that since the beginning."
Quebec Premier Jean Charest's government waded into the dispute last week, saying the two sides had a week to resolve things or a settlement would be imposed by an arbitrator.
Even with work resuming next week, clearing up the backlog will take time.
The union claims its members can only bury between 10 and 20 people per day.
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