Quebec adopts union governance bill

Quebec’s bill on union governance, which establishes the concept of voluntary contributions, was adopted on Thursday by 70 votes in favour and 34 against.

This bill establishes the principle of optional union dues, in addition to the main dues. These optional dues are intended to fund activities that go beyond strictly defending the rights of union members, such as advertising campaigns or challenging legislation in court.

The bill also sets out obligations for unions to submit audited financial statements, which are adjusted according to their revenues — no longer according to the number of members, as was planned when the bill was tabled.

It also deals with the disclosure of expenditures and the holding of secret ballots for a minimum period of 12 hours.

Since its introduction, the bill has undergone some 30 amendments, in response to union discontent. Clarifications have also been provided regarding what will be included in the main and optional contributions.

Labour Minister Jean Boulet said he was convinced that his bill would be “beneficial to unionized workers, who, in return for paying their dues, have the right to know and understand how they are used.”

“It is important to emphasize that union organizations are accountable to their members, not to the government. I am proud of the progress made for workers in Quebec,” he concluded.

Union reactions

The unions see this bill as interference in their internal affairs and bureaucratic red tape that will generate additional costs.

“The bill has been passed, but we will not give up and intend to use all the means at our disposal to protect their rights and counter the anti-democratic policies of a government at the end of its regime,” said the presidents of eight major union organizations in unison: Robert Comeau of the APTS, Caroline Senneville of the CSN, Magali Picard of the FTQ, Christian Daigle of the CUPE, Guillaume Bouvrette of the SPGQ, Luc Vachon of the CSD, Mélanie Hubert of the FAE, and Éric Gingras of the CSQ.

In an interview, Robert Comeau, president of the Alliance of Professional and Technical Staff in Health and Social Services (APTS), said he sees this bill as an attempt to silence checks and balances. “Checks and balances exist precisely to assert different opinions and to uphold the rights of workers. And trying to silence them, trying to muzzle them, for us, as a highly democratic people, is not heading in the right direction. It’s an authoritarian drift that we will continue to denounce.”

The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ) took a more nuanced stance. “The new law still contains elements that raise concerns about union autonomy, but the work we have undertaken has resulted in significant adjustments. Together, we have succeeded in making the voices of healthcare professionals heard, and we will continue this work,” commented its president, Julie Bouchard.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews