Resignation of Rénald Grondin | The National Assembly demands that the FTQ launch an investigation

(Quebec) The National Assembly spoke with one voice on Wednesday, and demands that the FTQ launch an investigation to shed light on the events leading to the election of Rénald Grondin, who harassed and assaulted a secretary for two years as president of the FTQ-Construction.

Fanny Levesque
The Press

A motion demanding that the FTQ conduct an investigation following the resignation of Rénald Grondin was unanimously adopted by parliamentarians in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The text submitted by Minister Jean Boulet, jointly with members of the opposition parties, recalls that “all organizations must be exemplary in the prevention of psychological harassment and sexual harassment” and that “the construction industry does not is no exception”.

The motion goes as follows:

• “That the National Assembly recognize that all organizations must be exemplary in the prevention of psychological harassment and sexual harassment;
• That it emphasize that the construction industry is no exception and that it has the responsibility to ensure a healthy work environment free from all forms of harassment for all workers;
• That it recall that in 2021, women represented only 3.27% of the total workforce in the industry and that approximately 55% of them leave construction sites after five years;
• That the National Assembly reiterate that under the Act respecting labor standards, employers are required to adopt a policy for the prevention of psychological and sexual harassment and to ensure that it is respected.
• Finally, that the National Assembly demand that the Quebec Federation of Labor launch an investigation in order to shed light on the recent revelations concerning the presidency of the FTQ-Construction”.

This comes the day after the publication of a press release from the FTQ-Construction announcing that the union is adopting an action plan to fight against psychological and sexual harassment in its ranks. The FTQ-Construction, which does not offer an interview about this action plan, brought together its 17 directors of its affiliated unions on Tuesday, in the wake of the resignation of President Rénald Grondin last week.

Dissatisfied with this action plan, Minister Jean Boulet wrote directly to QFL President Daniel Boyer on Tuesday asking him to “shed light on the events” that led to the election of Rénald Grondin at the head of “one of the largest unions in Quebec”.

According to Minister Boulet, the FTQ-Construction plan “will not allow us to get to the bottom of things”. Jean Boulet seeks to understand how Rénald Grondin was able to climb the ladder despite the existence of a decision by the Commission des lésions professionnelles in 2012, revealed by The Press last week.

Rénald Grondin harassed and assaulted an administrative secretary for two years, from 2008 to 2010, when he was the general manager of the Association of Inter-Provincial Maneuvers.