Montreal, January 13, 2019. – The year 2018 was marked by the election of a government of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). For the FTQ, this puts an end to the liberal reign and it must also be an opportunity to put an end to the austerity policies “As we have said and repeated, the Liberals have ransacked the public services. The FTQ will never accept Quebec being held hostage by such measures, and we expect the new government to reinvest significantly in public services, “said FTQ President Daniel Boyer.
The chance to the runner
“Now, we want to work with the new government to make Quebec a more just, more egalitarian, greener and more democratic society, and 2019 promises to be a challenging year,” said FTQ President Daniel Boyer.
Among its main priorities for 2019, the FTQ will continue its efforts to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour as soon as possible in order to allow all Quebeckers to get their head out of the water and live in dignity. The union also intends to keep up the pressure on Quebec to establish a real public and universal drug insurance plan. The “Missing Piece” campaign, conducted jointly with the CSN and the CSQ, will thus increase in the coming months.
“The two-headed, private-public system in Quebec clearly does not meet current needs and causes serious injustices to a large part of the population. It is not normal for almost 9% of the population not to take their medications because of costs. We must act now, “says FTQ President Daniel Boyer.
In the environment, the whole issue of climate change must become a priority for the CAQ. “Like it or not, climate change will have an impact on our economies and jobs. We need to think about the energy transition right away and this must be done in a fair and equitable manner for the workers, with a minimum impact for those likely to be affected by this transition. In this regard, the FTQ will continue this year its tour of Quebec to raise the awareness of workers and union leaders to these changes, “said the secretary general of the QFL, Serge Cadieux.
Upcoming reforms
The FTQ welcomes the opening signs sent by the new government with regard to the modernization of the health and safety at work regime (work accidents, occupational diseases and the Occupational Health and Safety Act). “We have been asking for a modernization of this law for a long time. For example, it is deplorable that the law does not apply to all workers, especially those working in the construction industry. Moreover, we understand that the CAQ intends to ban all clauses of disparity of treatment and wishes to improve the regulation to better supervise the agencies of placement which place temporary workers, of which many are immigrants, in client companies, bravo!» Added the secretary general.
The new government will also have to pay close attention to the whole issue of francisation in workplaces and violence against women. We also look forward to the reform of the voting system bill. “Another issue: the negotiations in the public sector are fast approaching. We will work to create a new common front and ensure that workers in this sector get the treatment they deserve. Among the irritants of 2018, we can only deplore the lockout that continues to ABI Bécancour aluminum smelter and the announcement of the dismissal of 2500 Bombardier workers, “said Daniel Boyer.
2019, a year of election and Congress
At the federal level, the fight against tax havens, the environmental issue, the waste of the Phoenix pay system and the imposition of a special law for returning postal workers to work are disappointing. “As there will be elections this fall, the FTQ intends to make its voice heard and will disseminate to its members and the public its election platform to generate debate. But before, the FTQ wants Ottawa to act quickly on the issue of employment insurance by restoring the tripartite court of first instance in the next budget, which includes a workers ‘representative, an employers’ representative and a neutral president. the model of the former Boards of Arbitration and which sits in all regions of the country. During the next federal campaign, the FTQ will ask the various formations to commit themselves to improving the Employment Insurance Act to take into account the new realities of the world of work and to settle definitively the question of the “black hole”. “Which deprives seasonal workers of decent benefits. Ottawa must also establish a public prescription drug insurance plan for Quebec with full compensation so that it can set up its own plan. The federal government must also reposition itself in terms of the environment, “the secretary general asked.
The year 2019 is a year of Congress for the FTQ. Over the next few months, activists will be called upon to reflect and make proposals on their vision of Quebec society and the union world. “The world of work is changing because of, among other things, the digital revolution 4.0 and the energy transition. It is clear to us that this transformation of workplaces must be linked to the values defended by the union and the FTQ, “conclude the union leaders.
The FTQ, the largest union center in Quebec, represents more than 600,000 workers.