This text is part of the special issue on Trade Unionism
Recurring problems in the education sector, fear of privatization of the health system with the reform led by Minister Christian Dubé, negotiations in the hotel sector, first collective agreement for a Quebec Amazon warehouse… There are many struggles for the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) this fall.
The CSN deplores the cuts of more than $400 million made in the amounts allocated to the maintenance of school buildings, which will have repercussions on college-level institutions in particular. The closure of a wing at the Cégep de Saint-Laurent and that of a residence at the Cégep de La Pocatière are a few examples, illustrates Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN. “In the midst of a housing crisis, we know that young people often have difficulty finding housing. Really, this cut announced this summer is incomprehensible to us,” denounces the union representative.
Last August, the CSN accused the CAQ government led by François Legault of being unable to address the challenges facing the education sector for the return to class. “There are going to be hot days with global warming. And with schools that have ventilation problems, the first weeks of the school year are likely to be physically difficult,” said Mme Senneville.
The unionist is nevertheless pleased with the announcement made by the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, of the establishment of a committee on artificial intelligence. “We are very pleased with this initiative and we are going to participate in it. It is urgent because we often feel that we are one or two steps behind the progress of technologies, which are evolving at a really sustained, if not infernal, pace,” she adds.
For a public health system
Last December, Quebec adopted Bill 15, aimed at overhauling the health system, under gag order. For the CSN, the Dubé reform is another step towards the privatization of services.
The union organization also deplores the fact that Info-Santé and the Frontline Access Desk (GAP) services also offer paid options. “There is a growing portion of the population in Quebec that is asking themselves: ‘Do I wait or do I pay?’ And some people simply do not ask themselves this question, because they cannot afford it. And that is extremely serious,” emphasizes Caroline Senneville.
In response, the CSN launched the Vraiment public campaign to “deprivatize, decentralize and democratize health and social services.” “In the past, you could have access to a physiotherapist in a CLSC or a hospital. Now, it’s impossible. And there are sections of services that are being privatized,” says M.me Senneville: We want not only to stop privatization, but also to gain ground in the return of services to the public sector.”
Victory for Amazon employees
Last May, employees at the Amazon warehouse in Laval were the first of this multinational to unionize in Canada. A heated fight that ended in victory, recalls Mme Senneville. “It wasn’t easy,” she sums up, noting that the Administrative Labour Tribunal subsequently condemned Amazon for its anti-union activities. The American giant was even forced to pay $10,000 in moral damages and $20,000 in punitive damages to the CSN.
“Now we have to roll up our sleeves and sign our first collective agreement,” said Mr.me Senneville. The CSN therefore hopes that these 200 or so employees will benefit from measures similar to Quebec standards for similar positions.
“And we want to create a health and safety committee, because there are a lot of workplace accidents in these warehouses. It’s mainly foreign workers and those from immigrant backgrounds who are at Amazon. We must highlight the courage they had despite the fact that the employer interfered in business and did everything to keep the union out,” says M.me Senneville.
The CSN also wants to improve the lot of hotel staff, as many of them went on strike in several regions of Quebec in August. “These are workers who have suffered the very strong impact of inflation and we are asking for wages to be increased. Hotels have become profitable again and this is partly thanks to the work of our members,” the union representative emphasizes.
Negotiations will continue in September and will be among the hot issues that the CSN will be looking at. “It’s important for the people who work very hard in this field and who also make Quebec’s reputation for tourism. They need to get their fair share of the pie.”
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