Latest news with #JeanBoulet
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Unions slam Quebec government for adopting law limiting strikes
Members of the FAE teachers union march to begin their strike, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023 in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) Quebec's bill limiting the scope of strikes was adopted Thursday, and labour unions are calling it a 'dark day' for all workers. 'The premier and his labour minister have clearly failed to grasp the extent of the damage that this new legislation will cause,' said the heads of nine major unions in a news release. The Coalition Avenir Québec and the Liberals voted for the bill, while the Parti Québécois and Québec Solidaire voted against it. It passed with 94 votes. Labour Minister Jean Boulet said the bill intended to 'take into consideration the needs of the population' and said, 'whether it's a strike or lockout, it's important to find the right balance.' There were 759 work stoppages (90 per cent of which were strikes) in Quebec in 2024, the highest of all Canadian provinces. He said some strikes go on for 'very long periods of time' with 'many different damages.' Under the new law, arbitrators can determine the content of a collective agreement in order to end a labour dispute in certain cases. Workers must now maintain 'minimum services,' rather than 'essential services,' during a strike or lockout to ensure the 'well-being of the population' and avoid 'disproportionately affecting the social, economic or environmental security' of the population. The Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD), Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), Fédération Autonome de l'Enseignement (FAE), Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec (SFPQ) and Syndicat de professionnelles et professionnels du gouvernement du Québec (SPGQ) all came out against Bill 89. Minister turning 'everything upside down' The unions say there was already a 'fragile balance' between workers and employers. 'Trade unions cannot understand why Jean Boulet wanted to turn everything upside down, except to subject all employees to the whims of employers and to please employers and a cabinet with anti-union tendencies,' they said. 'The framework surrounding the exercise of the right to strike, which was limited overall, offered workers the opportunity to improve their conditions within clear guidelines. The minister seems to have found excuses to trample on their rights.' Québec Solidaire's Alexandre Leduc called the law 'discriminatory' and 'authoritarian,' saying it gives the Labour Minister too much power to break strikes. He sided with the unions, pointing out that there are already provisions protecting essential services when it comes to labour disputes that have proven successful. Boulet pushed back saying the decisions will be handed down by impartial and independent parties like the Labour Tribunal and arbitrators. Leduc maintained that strikes are preceded by months of negotiations, and 'it's not fun for anyone to go on strike' but it is one of the only tools to demand better working conditions and 'improve the quality of life for the middle class.' He also said employers often stall negotiations, but 'no one talks about that perspective.' Law could end up before the courts The unions say the impact of the bill will be felt even by non-unionized workers. 'The gains achieved through bargaining exert positive pressure on non-unionized sectors, forcing employers to adjust to remain competitive. The government is attacking the entire Quebec workforce by limiting workers' ability to defend and improve their working conditions,' they said. Pay equity, the establishment of the public child care network, the minimum wage, and parental leave are 'just some of the gains achieved through union mobilization,' they added. Interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay agreed with Boulet on the importance of 'striking a balance' while respecting the fundamental right to strike. Unions can contest the law in court, he said. The unions believe the law would not hold up in court. Meanwhile, they say the Labour Minister is 'not open to discussion' to find a mutually satisfactory solution, and 'trust has been broken.'
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Residential construction strike confirmed by Alliance
An ultimatum issued by the Alliance syndicale regarding strike action in the residential construction industry expired at 12 p.m. Monday. It confirmed a strike will start at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Nevertheless, the parties are expected to meet with Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet in the afternoon on Monday. Last week, the Alliance syndicale gave the Association des professionnels de la construction et de l'habitation du Québec (APCHQ) until noon on Monday to respond to its request to submit the latest union proposal to a vote of its members. If the APCHQ did not agree, the Alliance threatened that strike action would ensue. Three other sectors of the construction industry have settled their negotiations: industrial, civil engineering and roads, and institutional/commercial. The Alliance syndicale represents 200,000 construction workers, including those in the residential sector. It brings together the five construction union organizations. – This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 26, 2024.
CBC
01-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Minimum wage jumps to $16.10 an hour in Quebec
As of Tuesday, Quebec's minimum wage is $16.10 an hour, up from $15.75. When he announced the new minimum wage in January, Labour Miniser Jean Boulet said it would benefit 217,400 employees, including 118,400 women, who could see an increase in their disposable income of up to $484 per year. The 35-cent increase in minimum wage represents a 2.2 per cent increase, the smallest increase since Boulet became labour minister in 2018. In a interview on Radio-Canada's Tout un Matin, Boulet defended his decision, saying the 2.2 per cent increase is on par with the 2.1 per cent inflation rate anticipated for the 2025-2026 financial year. "It's always a delicate decision," he said in French. "We have to find a balance between maintaining and increasing the purchasing power of people on minimum wage and the ability of small and medium businesses to pay." He said that consideration is especially important during times of financial insecurity. When there are a lot of layoffs, he said, "it's important not to put in peril or at risk the jobs of people who earn minimum wage." At $12.90 an hour, workers earning tips are getting a $0.30 increase in hourly wages. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Ontario, the minimum wage is $17.20 an hour and is set to rise to $17.60 in October. The highest minimum wage in the country is $19 in Nunavut and the lowest is $15 in both Saskatchewan and Alberta.
CBC
14-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Protest forces cancellation of Quebec labour minister's speech in Montreal
Social Sharing A speech by Quebec's labour minister to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal was cancelled on Friday after more than 1,000 unionized workers gathered in protest over a controversial bill tabled by the minister last month. Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet was set to speak at the Plaza Centre-Ville, but the situation outside got out of hand, according to Montreal police, who say a hotel window was smashed and an officer was assaulted, but not injured. Boulet left the event on recommendation of Quebec provincial police, before he had the chance to speak. In February, the minister tabled a bill that, if adopted, would give more power to the provincial government to limit the duration of strikes and lockouts. Bill 89 would also allow Quebec to step in to avoid disruption of services in schools and municipalities. This drew the ire of many union organizations, nine of which organized the large workers' rally downtown on Friday afternoon. "First of all, it's important to stress that I fully support the right to demonstrate. However, it must be exercised with respect for public order, and without resorting to violence," read a statement sent from Boulet's office following the event. He added that the goal of Bill 89 is to give "greater consideration to the needs of the public in the event of a strike or lockout, particularly those of vulnerable people." Boulet explained that Quebec does not intend on taking away workers' right to strike. But Caroline Senneville, head of the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) union, sees it differently. "We think it's illegal and we're gonna contest this in front of the tribunals, but the thing is, when you do that, it takes time and damage will be done," she said. "The Supreme Court has been really clear: we have a right to form unions, we have a right to negotiate in good faith and we have the right to strike if we need to and what the government is doing right now, what the Quebec government is doing, is infringing on these rights." Senneville says Bill 89 could impact workers' leverage to improve their working conditions. Michel Leblanc, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, says he's disappointed that the workers' actions resulted in the event being cancelled, although he says he supports their right to protest. "In 16 years, it's the first time we cancel an event because protesters decided to do whatever they want ... to stop an exchange with a minister on his intentions and current day issues," said Leblanc.
