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Protesters keyed up, but dealer stands firm
Outlet opens for third weekend. 'They're trying to intimidate our customers and this is supposed to be a free country'
WILLIAM MARSDEN, The Gazette
Published: Sunday, February 25, 2007
About 60 car salespeople clashed with police and security guards yesterday outside an east-end car dealership to protest against the owner's decision to remain open on weekends.
In defiance of a court injunction, the protesters attempted to block customers from entering or leaving the car lot.
Fifteen police officers pushed them aside. But that didn't stop protesters from scratching the sides of at least two demonstrator cars in the process, said Samir Hajjar, manager of used car sales at the Pie IX Dodge Chrysler 2000 dealership.
Hajjar, who was struck on the forehead last weekend with a chunk of ice thrown by a protester, watched as the demonstrators blocked cars.
"See, they are trying to intimidate our customers and this is supposed to be a free country,'' he said.
Protesters gathered outside the St. Leonard dealership when it opened at 10 a.m. But the dealership was ready with its own muscle. In addition to the police, it had three handlers with muzzled guard dogs as well as seven private security guards patrolling the property. A cameraman videotaped all the demonstrators.
The dealership obtained a Quebec Superior Court injunction Friday against any obstruction, vandalism or attempt to intimidate customers or employees of the dealership.
The protesters are members of the Montreal Automobile Dealers Corporation, which represents 220 new-car dealerships in Montreal, Laval, the South Shore, Repentigny and Ile Perrot. The organization does not allow its members to open on weekends. In retaliation for its weekend openings, the MADC expelled Pie IX Dodge Chrysler from the organization.
Daniel Cadieux, a sales director at Centre-Ville Volkswagen in Montreal, was one of the many protesters who braved the cold weather to voice his opposition to the weekend opening.
"If we allow all the dealers to open seven days a week, it will mean we have to work seven days a week," he said. "And when will we ever get any time with our families?"
By opening on weekends, dealerships will be forced to hire unprofessional salespeople and the customer will not get the same level of service, Cadieux said.
The protesters carried a banner that read: "It's 35 degrees Celsius; your boss is playing golf or sunbathing by the pool with his family; the clients are at their chalets; while you are sitting on your rear end eating Pop Tarts."
But inside Pie IX Dodge Chrysler, where employees watched the demonstrators, there was no sign of Pop Tarts or unhappiness with the new shifts.
"Instead of working five days a week from noon until 9 at night, I now work four days a week - 35 hours - and get three days off," financing manager Gina Meo said.
While she has to rotate through weekend shifts, Meo said she still has more time with her three children.
Salesman Jacques Tabbakh agreed. Dealers have to face the reality that customers want to shop for cars on weekends, he said.
Customer Raymond Basque, 52, of St. Leonard, said the reason he came to the dealership is because it was open on weekends.
"I love it. It's about time. The weekend is the only time I have to shop for a car."
His brother Dennis said he has to take time off from work every time he needs to look for new car.
"So, it actually costs me money just to get out to a dealer," he said. "People don't have the time during the week and dealerships have to serve the customers. Anyway, this is supposed to be free enterprise."
This marks the third weekend the Pie IX dealership has opened. On the first weekend, it sold 15 new and used cars. On the second, it sold 12.
By 2 p.m., the protesters had left, the dealership had sold four cars and Hajjar was defiant.
"Out of the two or three thousand car salesmen in this city, they could only muster 60; this is not going to scare anybody," he said. "This should not stop any dealers from opening on a weekend."
Outlet opens for third weekend. 'They're trying to intimidate our customers and this is supposed to be a free country'
WILLIAM MARSDEN, The Gazette
Published: Sunday, February 25, 2007
About 60 car salespeople clashed with police and security guards yesterday outside an east-end car dealership to protest against the owner's decision to remain open on weekends.
In defiance of a court injunction, the protesters attempted to block customers from entering or leaving the car lot.
Fifteen police officers pushed them aside. But that didn't stop protesters from scratching the sides of at least two demonstrator cars in the process, said Samir Hajjar, manager of used car sales at the Pie IX Dodge Chrysler 2000 dealership.
Hajjar, who was struck on the forehead last weekend with a chunk of ice thrown by a protester, watched as the demonstrators blocked cars.
"See, they are trying to intimidate our customers and this is supposed to be a free country,'' he said.
Protesters gathered outside the St. Leonard dealership when it opened at 10 a.m. But the dealership was ready with its own muscle. In addition to the police, it had three handlers with muzzled guard dogs as well as seven private security guards patrolling the property. A cameraman videotaped all the demonstrators.
The dealership obtained a Quebec Superior Court injunction Friday against any obstruction, vandalism or attempt to intimidate customers or employees of the dealership.
The protesters are members of the Montreal Automobile Dealers Corporation, which represents 220 new-car dealerships in Montreal, Laval, the South Shore, Repentigny and Ile Perrot. The organization does not allow its members to open on weekends. In retaliation for its weekend openings, the MADC expelled Pie IX Dodge Chrysler from the organization.
Daniel Cadieux, a sales director at Centre-Ville Volkswagen in Montreal, was one of the many protesters who braved the cold weather to voice his opposition to the weekend opening.
"If we allow all the dealers to open seven days a week, it will mean we have to work seven days a week," he said. "And when will we ever get any time with our families?"
By opening on weekends, dealerships will be forced to hire unprofessional salespeople and the customer will not get the same level of service, Cadieux said.
The protesters carried a banner that read: "It's 35 degrees Celsius; your boss is playing golf or sunbathing by the pool with his family; the clients are at their chalets; while you are sitting on your rear end eating Pop Tarts."
But inside Pie IX Dodge Chrysler, where employees watched the demonstrators, there was no sign of Pop Tarts or unhappiness with the new shifts.
"Instead of working five days a week from noon until 9 at night, I now work four days a week - 35 hours - and get three days off," financing manager Gina Meo said.
While she has to rotate through weekend shifts, Meo said she still has more time with her three children.
Salesman Jacques Tabbakh agreed. Dealers have to face the reality that customers want to shop for cars on weekends, he said.
Customer Raymond Basque, 52, of St. Leonard, said the reason he came to the dealership is because it was open on weekends.
"I love it. It's about time. The weekend is the only time I have to shop for a car."
His brother Dennis said he has to take time off from work every time he needs to look for new car.
"So, it actually costs me money just to get out to a dealer," he said. "People don't have the time during the week and dealerships have to serve the customers. Anyway, this is supposed to be free enterprise."
This marks the third weekend the Pie IX dealership has opened. On the first weekend, it sold 15 new and used cars. On the second, it sold 12.
By 2 p.m., the protesters had left, the dealership had sold four cars and Hajjar was defiant.
"Out of the two or three thousand car salesmen in this city, they could only muster 60; this is not going to scare anybody," he said. "This should not stop any dealers from opening on a weekend."
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