(Montreal) The FTQ-Construction is withdrawing from consultations led by the Minister of Labor, Jean Boulet, on the construction industry, accusing Quebec of wanting to “go it alone” and not listening to worker representatives.
The Minister of Labor has already announced his intention to table an industry reform this fall that would affect several aspects and, in this context, he is conducting an industry consultation.
However, after participating in several meetings, the FTQ-Construction, which represents 90,000 workers, decided to withdraw. She sent a letter to the Ministers of Labor, Jean Boulet, and of Education, Bernard Drainville, to explain her dissatisfaction.
The FTQ-Construction is particularly critical of the fact that Quebec wants to reduce the number of training hours for certain trades: carpentry, refrigeration, tinsmithing and driving construction equipment.
The industry’s largest union sees this as a potential health and safety problem for both workers and the public. Reducing the number of training hours will reduce the quality of this training, believes the general director of FTQ-Construction, Éric Boisjoly.
Although the FTQ-Construction is withdrawing from ministerial consultations, it intends to participate in a possible parliamentary commission that will be held on the reform.