Press release
Bill 3 adopted: a historic setback for workers’ rights

The adoption today of Bill 3 by the National Assembly — a historic setback for workers’ rights and a shameful legacy of the Legault government at the very end of its mandate — is being denounced in one voice by APTS, CSD, CSN, CSQ, FAE, FTQ, SFPQ and SPGQ.

The adoption today of Bill 3 by the National Assembly — a historic setback for workers’ rights and a shameful legacy of the Legault government at the very end of its mandate — is being denounced in one voice by APTS, CSD, CSN, CSQ, FAE, FTQ, SFPQ and SPGQ.

“It takes a great deal of audacity for this government to persist as it has, at a time when it no longer has a premier or the support of the population. This comes despite the absence of any social consensus and the numerous warnings issued by unions, civil society organizations and academic experts, all of whom have highlighted the many flaws in this bill. Its implementation will create an administrative burden that is both unnecessary and unreasonable for our organizations and workplaces, and the CAQ will bear full responsibility for it,” jointly stated the spokespersons Robert Comeau (APTS), Luc Vachon (CSD), Caroline Senneville (CSN), Éric Gingras (CSQ), Mélanie Hubert (FAE), Magali Picard (FTQ), Christian Daigle (SFPQ) and Guillaume Bouvrette (SPGQ).

This latest attack by the government on workers’ rights adds to a long series of setbacks: the infringement on the right to strike through legislation aimed at prioritizing public needs in the event of a strike or lockout (Bill 14), which weakens bargaining power and the ability to improve working conditions; the imposition of a discriminatory occupational health and safety regime in the education, health and social services sectors through Bill 28; drastic cuts to public services; and poorly planned reorganizations.

These repeated attacks undermine fundamental rights. Ultimately, it is the collective power of workers that is being directly targeted.

“The government is no longer even trying to hide its contempt for workers’ rights, for the most vulnerable people in our society, and for the middle class. Attacking the organizations that defend them will not improve their quality of life. The bill may be adopted, but we will not back down. We intend to use every means at our disposal to protect workers’ rights and to challenge the anti-democratic policies of a government at the end of its mandate. We will raise public awareness and hold opposition parties to account. This must be a key issue in the upcoming elections,” the spokespersons added.

The adopted legislation will now be analyzed in detail by union organizations, which will assess possible legal and strategic avenues to ensure the protection of workers’ rights in Quebec.