(Quebec) Unions are furious against the Legault government, which wants to limit the right to strike with a bill. The FTQ even promises to campaign against the CAQ in the next elections, and predicts “demonstrations and chaos”.
Posted at 4:25 p.m.
“What we also told the Prime Minister who tells us that the population will be with him because people do not like strike is that people do not like demonstrations and chaos either,” said the president of the FTQ, Magali Picard, at the end of an meeting of more than an hour with Prime Minister François Legault.
“A government lost its elections in 2012 with the maple spring and means of pressure that no longer ceased. Not all agreed with the student strike, but they voted because they wanted the means of pressure to stop. And that’s what may happen, ”she predicted.
She attended this meeting with Caroline Senneville (CSN), Éric Gingras (CSQ) and Luc Vachon (CSD). The interview, which took place during the International Workers’ Day, was “difficult”, and “very disappointing”, they deplored.
They all oppose it very strongly to bill 89 supervising the right to strike filed by the Minister of Labor Jean Boulet. The Minister has two important powers. The first is a form of “increase” of the concept of essential services, which would be extended to the entire private sector and that of education, for example. The Minister could intervene if he judges that “the social, economic or environmental security of the population” is threatened.
The second power given by the minister is to put an end to a strike or a lockout to ask a referee to decree and decree working conditions. In addition to unions, labor law experts also believe that the Legault government has an “exorbitant discretion”.
If they think they have the big end of the stick because the population does not like strikes, I can tell you that the world does not like chaos either
Magali Picard, president of the FTQ
She promises that the FTQ will remain “standing”, and will continue to “demonstrate intelligently, coordinated and ordered, until a government respects workers”.
Legault does not “understand”
Photo Edouard Plante-Fréchette, the press archives
The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault
She claims that during the meeting, Mr. Legault gave the impression that he did not understand the law or his benefits. He did not seem to know, she said, that she was concerned the private sector. “Mr. Legault is overwhelmed by the bill. He doesn’t understand it, ”said Mr.me Picard.
She also made a “promise” to the Prime Minister. “For the FTQ, it will be the issue of the next election. If the PL89 is adopted, I guarantee that our lobby will be made with all the opposition parties so that they are publicly committed and in their platform to repeal the law […] “, She launched.
The president of the CSN, Caroline Senneville, has added. “40 % of workers are unionized in Quebec. It makes people who vote. If they think that by adopting the bill it will put a lid on the pot, I regret, it will not happen like that, “she said.
By limiting the right to strike, MM Legault and Boulet attack “the world who takes strike votes to fight to have a decent life,” she denounced.
The four union leaders also deplored the fact that workers demonstrated before the personal residence of Minister Jean Boulet. They say they are against this type of means of pressure.
