‘Total failure’: FTQ denounces Legault government for housing, cost of living crises

Quebec’s largest federation of unionized workers, FTQ, denounced the François Legault government for “total failure” in addressing housing, cost of living and other crises in the province.

At a press conference Thursday, FTQ president Magali Picard said the CAQ government had lost the trust of Quebecers.

“They’re trying to divide us by bills that are very, but very dangerous against the workers, against the middle class, and the FTQ will continue its work,” Picard said.

In a statement, she had also accused the government of targeting immigrants, doctors and workers, instead of taking care of those in need.

“What we’re supposed to talk about now is how can we support our people, families across this province, Quebec, that are facing a lot of stress,” Picard said. “Unfortunately, [the CAQ government] is not doing it.”

The FTQ, which represents 600,000 workers in Quebec, said that it intended to make the voices of the workers ahead of the provincial elections later this year.

“The people of Quebec must also be aware of this government’s democratic abuses with its bills and laws that have only one objective: to muzzle civil society and trade unions by interfering in their governance and their rights to challenge arbitrary laws,” Picard added.

Picard said that at the federation’s convention last November, in Quebec City, delegates from 33 major unions affiliated with FTQ adopted more than 150 resolutions giving it a mandate for being politically involved.

“We will be everywhere, we won’t accept to be muzzled,” Picard said. “And, we’re ready for the next election in 2026.”

FTQ’s announcement comes less than two months after thousands of union and community workers took to the streets protesting what they called the CAQ government’s anti-union measures such as Bill 14, which grants the labour minister powers to intervene to end strikes, and Bill 3, aimed to restrict how unions use the dues collected.