Union of Quebec Writers | Listen to members

The letter is addressed to the resigning president of the Union of Quebec Writers and Writers, Suzanne Aubry.

Evelyne Gauthier

Author and editor, and more than 25 other signatories*

Ms. Aubry, given the recent turn of events and the resignation of board members, this is probably one of the last times that we will address you as president of the Union des écrivaines et écrivains québécois (UNEQ ).

Interviews given on the show 15-18 of Radio-Canada, at The Press¹ as well as the content of certain articles raised our eyebrows. The latter let believe that if the authors had voted against the contributions, it is because they had not understood the mission which is the unionization of our association, that they had not grasped the need for the contributions and had not read the documents UNEQ had prepared.

We must rectify this fact, because it is incorrect. Not only do many of us know very well what this unionization represents, but many are already unionized employees or have been in the past. They are very aware of what it represents. Also, many members have extensively informed themselves on the subject. We read the Status of the Artist Act, as well as the documentation sent by UNEQ. At many times. Because yes, some do their homework.

In short… our motivation behind this refusal is neither the rejection of unionization nor of the principle of the contributions themselves, and is due neither to ignorance nor to a lack of solidarity.

We have not said no to dues. We said no to the proposed dues formula. Yet it is easy to understand, since we have repeated it ad nauseam.

It was the format of the offer that was problematic and we would like to receive a new one. After all, that’s how discussions and negotiations work…

What we now want (amongst other things) is a reasonable membership fee proposal that meets the needs and financial capabilities of all authors, members and non-members.

In short, you have to listen to the members and listen to what they want. They will be happy to tell you.

* Co-signatories: Caroline Barré, Chantal Beauregard, Roxanne Bouchard, Lucille Bisson, Jean-Sébastien Bourré, Katia Canciani, Louise Chevrier, Mélanie Cousineau, Nathalie D’Amours, Etienne Denis, Mathieu Fortin, Mylène Gilbert-Dumas, Elie Hanson, Laïla Héloua , Michèle Hénen, Alain Lafond, Lolita Leblanc, Alain Leclerc, Jean-Marc Lefebvre, Hugo Morin, Sophie-Luce Morin, Mélissa Perron, Suzanne Roy, Julie Royer, Elisabeth Tremblay, Sophie Vaillancourt, Élisabeth Vonarburg