This text is part of the special Syndicalism booklet
The pandemic and the labor shortage: two major pitfalls for the health and safety of workers.
Around the world, the 1er May, International Workers’ Day, is a public holiday. “Except in the United States and Canada”, deplores Caroline Senneville, president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN), while this commemoration is “as important as that of March 8 for women”.
Ironically, the roots of this day go to the heart of American labor history: in Chicago, employees launched a major strike on the 1er May 1886 to demand a work schedule limited to eight hours a day. “At that time, recalls Caroline Senneville, trade unions were often considered illegal. This gave the police authorities full latitude to repress them violently.
Holidays or not, these days are important, a question of showing the path traveled by the claims of the past. The president of the CSN, in office since June 2021, also points out that April 28 is a national day of mourning in Canada to commemorate all those who have died, been injured or become ill in their workplace. “Every year, the statistics again show the importance of health and safety at work. A death or an amputation, it strikes the imagination, but we must not forget the wear and tear: when you are forced to repeat the same gestures every day, you can also injure yourself. »
The labor shortage: danger in the making
Misfortune is good for something, the saying goes. The combined effects of galloping inflation and the scarcity of labor in practically all sectors of the economy give the 320,000 members of the CSN a certain balance of power, including on the issue of wages. However, this shortage phenomenon is only new for those who have never bothered to listen to union demands or observed with attention the profound changes in different workplaces. Which is not without affecting the health and safety of those who have to be on the front line.
“We no longer count the number of negotiations where we sound the alarm about the shortage of manpower, denounces Caroline Senneville. These discussions have been going on for decades, and by dint of denigrating public sector employees, reducing their working conditions, we end up with an incredible number of vacant positions, particularly in the health and education sectors. »
While part of the population still harbors unfavorable prejudices against state workers, many others understand their strategic importance and their essential contribution to the proper functioning of society. “During the pandemic, many factory directors and managers were very anxious for the schools to finally open their doors, because they were having a hard time operating without the availability of all their workers. Even today, many manufacturers refuse orders because their staff is insufficient to fulfill them. »
For citizens, frustration is often there, “because public services are not outside the economy”, specifies the president of the CSN. “When an educator has to take care of 40 children in a childcare service or an emergency has to close for lack of staff, it affects the entire population, and the whole economy is not functioning at its full potential. potential. For quality services, it is necessary to invest the necessary means. “With the key salaries that reflect the importance.
In this regard, Caroline Senneville is pinning a lot of hope on the present negotiations. This time, the CSN has decided to join a new common front with the contribution of the Central Trade Unions of Quebec, the Federation of Quebec Workers and the Alliance of Professional and Technical Health Personnel. and social services. This strike force has 420,000 members, and speaks with a single voice.
“Whether we are talking about technological changes, telecommuting or reducing our carbon footprint, we need a vision that is both broad and detailed, capable of considering the medium and the long term, affirms the president of the CSN. . The turn of the transformation of jobs, we must not miss it, because we risk falling into the ditch! »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.