TORONTO/NEW YORK (September 12, 2012) – The NHLPA and at least 16 players of the Montreal Canadiens filed an Application in Montreal on Wednesday with the Commission Des Relations Du Travail (Quebec Labor Relations Board), asking it to declare that the NHL’s planned lockout is illegal in Quebec.

An emergency hearing on the application is scheduled for Friday morning, at 10:30 a.m. ET, in Montreal.

“The players on the Montreal Canadiens simply want the labour laws of Quebec upheld, so that we can continue to play hockey while we work towards reaching a fair contract with the NHL,” said Josh Gorges, Canadiens defenceman.

In Quebec, an employer is not allowed to lock out employees unless they belong to a union that has been certified by the Quebec Labour board. The NHLPA is not a certified union in Quebec.