This text is part of the special section Unionism
The increase in the cost of living and a minimum wage that is still too low are among the major concerns of the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ), which exposes situations of vulnerability for certain categories of the population. The Temporary Foreign Workers with Closed Permits Program is of equal concern to the union organization, which is calling for the abolition of such permits.
People with lower incomes as well as temporary foreign workers are more at risk of vulnerability. This situation is decried by Denis Bolduc, general secretary of the FTQ, who “dreams of a more egalitarian, fairer Quebec” and favors a better distribution of wealth.
Factors affecting the wallets of Quebecers
A year ago, the FTQ expressed great concern about the poverty, inflation and low wages plaguing Quebec. Denis Bolduc deplores today the lack of improvement, especially “for people who barely earn the minimum wage”. The low minimum wage, the increase in the cost of food and housing “are factors that influence the wallets of Quebecers,” he said. According to him, the categories most affected by the “cost of living” would be women and the youngest, due to part-time and lower-paid jobs.
An increase in the minimum wage to $15.75 per hour is also planned for 1er May 2024. However, the FTQ recommends an increase to $18 to ensure “that a single person working 35 hours per week can escape poverty,” we can read on the Federation website. This discrepancy is not without consequences. The general secretary of the FTQ recalls that a growing number of people are using food banks “even though they work 35 or 40 hours a week and […] are unable to pay for housing despite working full-time.” The 2023 Hunger Report has also established a “sad record”, putting at 872,000 the number of people benefiting from monthly food aid from the network of Food Banks of Quebec.
Housing is also a priority for Denis Bolduc, since “people have no choice [et] must find a roof for themselves.” At the start of the year, the annual report of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) revealed the largest rent increase in 30 years in the Montreal region.
Denis Bolduc hopes to see measures improving the quality of public services, “currently being mistreated” according to him. Health, medication, dental care, childcare services, university tuition fees are all services which “must be accessible to the entire population”, continues the Secretary General. He believes that government policies do not sufficiently encourage healthcare workers and doctors to work in the public service.
Temporary foreign workers
The situation of temporary foreign workers represents a major concern for the FTQ, which last summer submitted a memorandum containing 62 recommendations for immigration planning in Quebec in 2024-2027. Last September, the government gave the Commission of Labor Market Partners (CPMT) the mandate to analyze the situation in light of the United Nations conclusion. Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata sounded the alarm regarding this type of permit, judging that they risked making its holders “vulnerable to contemporary forms of slavery”.
The Federation therefore advocates for open work permits and believes that temporary foreign workers should have access “within reasonable time” to permanent residence and citizenship. “They meet labor needs which are often permanent, so they should be able to access permanent immigration,” maintains Denis Bolduc.
Francization represents another aspect inherent to the integration of temporary foreign workers and which the FTQ emphasizes in its report. For Mr. Bolduc, “we need to find a system that allows companies to organize francization sessions in the workplace and ideally during working time.”
The FTQ is of the opinion that the “immigration strategy should be more oriented” in order to facilitate access to permanent residence and the learning of French for these temporary foreign workers who “contribute to the Quebec economy year after year “. Better protection against potential abuse by employers is also necessary in view of current insufficient government measures, adds Denis Bolduc. However, he said he noticed “signals” from the Minister of Immigration, Francisation and Integration, Christine Fréchette, testifying to her desire to “find solutions”.
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