Bulletin
QFL reaction to an anti-scab bill passed on third reading

Montréal, May 27, 2024. – The Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL) welcomes the adoption at the third reading of the anti-scab bill (C-58) for companies under federal jurisdiction. The work done by parliamentarians has made it possible to mitigate certain provisions of the first version of the bill, such as reducing the deadline for the law to come into force from 18 months to 12 months, although the QFL would have liked the law to apply as soon as it received Royal Assent. The QFL remains concerned that a Conservative government could go back and extend the deadline.

“This bill is essential to balance the bargaining process between management and labour. The use of scabs has been proven to unnecessarily prolong negotiations and conflicts, since employers are free to put their workers out on the street in order to continue their operations. This is an appalling indecency,” declares QFL President Magali Picard.

The QFL applauds the ability of the Liberal government and the NDP to put aside their differences and work together to develop legislation of major importance to workers, which is essential to protect the right to collective bargaining, a fundamental right! However, it is difficult to understand why federal government employees will not be able to take advantage of the anti-scab provisions of the future legislation.

“For the QFL, this is a demand that goes back more than 40 years. The current draft is not perfect, but we’re very close to the goal,” concludes the QFL president.

The QFL, Quebec’s largest central labour body, represents more than 600,000 workers.

Source: QRL

Informations : Jean Laverdière

Phone number: 514 893-7809

Email : jlaverdiere@ftq.qc.ca