Construction industry | Start of raiding to woo 200,000 workers

This Wednesday, 1^er May began raiding the construction industry – the equivalent of an election campaign aimed at convincing the industry’s approximately 200,000 workers to choose one union over another.

This period of inter-union raiding only occurs once every four years.

It takes place this year from 1^er May to June 2. And, above all, it precedes the union vote – the voting period – which will be held from June 3 to 22.

Thus, the approximately 200,000 workers in the industry will be asked to choose between five union associations that are recognized in the industry, namely the FTQ-Construction, the Quebec Provincial Council of Construction Trades (International), the Syndicat québécois of construction, CSD-Construction and CSN-Construction.

During this period of raiding, union associations have the right to advertise and solicit workers to obtain their membership.

The Quebec Construction Commission specifies, however, that “during the raiding period, solicitation and advertising are permitted only if they are made outside of work hours and places.”

Following the last union vote, in 2020, the FTQ-Construction represented 43% of workers, the Provincial Council 23%, the Syndicat québécois de la construction 19%, the CSD-Construction 9% and the CSN-Construction 6%.

The representativeness of construction unions is important, because it determines the relative weight they will have when ratifying collective agreements.

The negotiation of these agreements is a long and complex process, since there are, in addition to these five trade union organizations, four employers’ associations and four collective agreements to negotiate, representing the different sub-sectors of the industry.

It is the Construction Commission which ensures the smooth running of the ballot and which investigates any complaints, if any.

The CCQ “investigates any situation of non-compliance reported to it relating to advertising and solicitation, as well as acts of discrimination or intimidation that occur in the context of a union election,” she specifies.