Trade unionist and former president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN), Marc Laviolette, died this morning, the trade union center announced in a press release.
“It is a great mourning today for the entire union movement,” wrote the president of the CSN, Caroline Senneville.
“Marc Laviolette’s commitment to the working class, and more specifically to health and safety issues in the workplace, must be highlighted,” she continued. “His outspokenness and his proximity to workers across Quebec made him an exemplary union activist, always ready to defend the rights of the most vulnerable. The flag at our head office in Montreal will be lowered to half-mast to honour his memory and his time among us.”
Mr. Laviolette began his union career in the 1970s, notably by presiding over the local union of the CLSC de la Seigneurie de Beauharnois, in his native region of Suroît. He subsequently became president of the Syndicat national des produits chimiques de Valleyfield (SNPCV-CSN) from 1986 to 1994 and, at the same time, vice-president of the Fédération de la métallurgie de la CSN.
Between 1994 and 1999, he became third vice-president of the CSN, then succeeded Gérald Larose as president from 1999 to 2002.
Political involvement
In addition to his union career, Marc Laviolette was a fervent supporter of Quebec sovereignty. He was particularly involved with the Parti Québécois and was one of the founders of its branch, Syndicalistes et progressistes pour un Québec Libre (SPQ Libre). He was also a PQ candidate in Soulanges in the 2007 election.
In 1980, he was an independent candidate in the federal elections in Beauharnois-Salaberry. The following year, he ran under the banner of the Parti communiste ouvrier in the provincial elections, again in Beauharnois.
Mr. Laviolette’s son, Alexandre Boileau-Laviolette, is the current president of the Fédération du commerce (FC-CSN).
On the social network X, the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) highlighted “the exceptional contribution of Marc Laviolette to unionism and the defense of workers. Indeed, a great mourning for the entire union movement.”
The cause of his death has not been specified.