The head of the Montreal firefighters' association has been suspended without pay for six months in connection with a protest where municipal employees ransacked council chambers in mid-August.
Ronald Martin received the news on Tuesday when he was called to the fire department's general headquarters.
He said management did not blame him for any particular action but held him responsible, as union leader, for the Aug. 18 outbursts.
Firefighters held a demonstration outside the department's headquarters on Tuesday in a show of support for their president.
Martin accused the city's administration of acting outside of the rules and standards of labour relations for political reasons.
He promised to stay on as union president, saying he is more determined than ever.
The City of Montreal fired six firefighters earlier this month for participating in the rampage.
Another 57 employees have been suspended without pay for periods ranging from one week to six months. Many face criminal charges include illegal assembly, mischief and assault.
The workers were angry about a provincial government proposal to change their pensions so that all public-sector workers contribute a higher percentage to their plans.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.