Growing anti-union sentiment in Quebec, CSN says

There is a growing anti-union sentiment in Quebec, according to one of the major unions in the province.

The Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) is alleging many employers use anti-union maneuvers to try to weaken unions.

Over the past 12 months, 17 lockouts have been decreed with the unions affiliated with the CSN – something the CSN says has been rarely seen in recent years.

Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN, is warning Quebec’s labour minister Jean Boulet is venturing onto “slippery ground” if he wants to reduce the scope of the right to strike by adopting a section of law similar to the one that was invoked by his federal counterpart to end labour disputes.

“Our main concern will be that labour laws and labour rights are protected,” said Senneville.

“Workers’ rights are human rights, and unions will be there to defend them, and CSN will be right up there in front,” added Senneville.

Last month, Minister Boulet raised the possibility of amending the Quebec Labour Code to include a section similar to the one in the Canadian Labour Code that allowed federal Minister Steven MacKinnon to impose mandatory arbitration in the rail sector.

Senneville reported that she has already had an initial conversation with the minister of labour on this subject since then. She recalled that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2015 on the right to strike, stating that it benefits from constitutional protection.

“Strikes in Canada are regulated; it is the rule of law,” said Senneville during the CSN’s start-of-year press conference.

“We’ve seen also both ministers, the Labour Ministers, the one in the federal government, using Article 107 of the working code, of the Labour Code in Canada to stop lockouts or strikes,” said Senneville.

“For us, it infringes on our rights to not only form union, but have a negotiation of good faith, and also having the right to put some leverage on this negotiation to get better working conditions,” added Senneville.

Along with the government maneuvers, Senneville discussed many issues from the use of scabs, upcoming possible federal elections, the anticipation of several negotiations in 2025 and the $20 campaign – which  encourages its unions to claim a floor wage of at least $20 per hour.

“A lot of stress is put on people that work full time and don’t have a living wage,” said Senneville. “They’re worrying constantly. They’re worrying about being evicted. They’re one paycheck from real poverty. I’ve had people on picket lines tell me, you know what? I haven’t bought yogurt for a year because it’s just too expensive.”

Sennville is also asking Boulet to provide for more severe sanctions against employers who use scabs which they have seen across many industries they say.

“We want bosses that when they do infringement law, when they do the tribunal of the Labor Board says, well, you did use cab and you did use methods that are against the law to scare off, for example, your union, that there should be consequences,” said Senneville.

–With files from La Presse Canadienne