Quebec unions and civil society organizations are organizing against Bill 3, which targets union rights and autonomy. Tens of thousands of protesters denounced the proposed bill during a demonstration in downtown Montreal last November.
The legislation severely limits unions’ political activities by introducing optional union dues and restrictions under the guise of increasing transparency and improving governance and democratic processes.
According to the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université President Madeleine Pastinelli, “Bill 3 is part of a larger trend aimed at weakening those who, in a democratic society, are specifically tasked with questioning, debating, and holding power to account.”
The Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec said that “the government is trying to cut off [unions’] funding and, ultimately, muzzle them on issues that go beyond collective agreements but have a direct impact on working and living conditions.”
CAUT Council delegates expressed solidarity with Quebec’s unions and support for the demands made during the November mobilization, calling for the province to withdraw or amend the legislation.
