Quebec unions warn labour disputes could skyrocket if federal reform Bill C-39 passes
Posted November 3, 2026 12:53 pm.
If Bill C-39 is passed as it stands, the number of labour disputes in companies under federal jurisdiction could double or even triple, the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) warns.
And Quebec’s largest trade union confederation has vowed to challenge it “in every court, right up to the Supreme Court”, if it is not amended.
The trade union federation, with 600,000 members, appeared before the committee examining Bill C-39. This bill concerns the fast-tracking of major projects and also clarifies the circumstances under which section 107 of the Labour Code may be invoked, which allows the minister to end a labour dispute and impose arbitration.
FTQ President Magali Picard reminded the committee that, at present, 95 per cent of collective agreement renewal negotiations are concluded with a handshake.
She fears, however, that under the provisions of Bill C-39, the proportion of negotiations leading to a labour dispute will rise from five per cent to 10 per cent, or even 20 per cent.
She therefore fears that, knowing a minister can intervene in a difficult negotiation to end a labour dispute, employers and trade unions will be reluctant to compromise and will simply wait for the minister to settle the matter for them.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
