Hydro-Québec nurses denounce use of subcontractors
Posted January 30, 2026 5:12 pm.
Last Updated January 30, 2026 5:13 pm.
The union representing some 40 Hydro-Québec construction site nurses is denouncing the fact that the state-owned company is using subcontractors for services that its members can provide.
The Crown corporation and the local branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with the FTQ, which represents these site nurses, are engaged in lengthy arbitration to reach a first collective agreement.
The issue of outsourcing is part of the dispute between the parties.
The union argues that the use of a private agency “is detrimental to internal expertise, job stability, and Hydro-Québec’s mission” and that it “also raises serious concerns about respect for labor relations, operational safety, the health of construction workers, and the responsible use of public funds.”
When informed of the union’s claims, Hydro-Québec management declined to comment. “We will not comment because we are in the midst of arbitration for a first collective agreement, and it would not be appropriate to comment publicly on the union’s demands.”
The union also cites a poor work environment. An investigation has been launched by an external consultant, according to the union.
Negotiations between the parties are clearly difficult, as the case has already been brought before the Administrative Labor Tribunal.
These construction site nurses work in fairly remote locations, as the regulations governing their presence on site stipulate that they must be on site when there are at least 25 workers on a construction site, and the site is located 30 minutes or more away from a health care facility.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
