The Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL) concluded its 34th Convention by reaffirming its determination to defend workers’ rights in the face of repeated attacks from the government.
During the Convention, Magali Picard was re-elected for a second term as President of the QFL, while David Chartrand, was re-elected as Vice-President of the QFL representing the IAM union; demonstrating members’ renewed confidence in their leadership.
Throughout the week, delegates debated and adopted several dozen resolutions on major issues: the housing crisis, the future of jobs, the situation in the construction sector, climate change, public transit, health and safety at work, and women’s rights. The Convention also adopted an emergency resolution condemning the anti-union attacks by François Legault’s government, calling them dangerous for the entire labour movement.
At midday, delegates headed to the National Assembly to protest austerity policies affecting public services, particularly in health and education, as well as attacks on unions and workers. This mobilization was a powerful moment of solidarity and visibility for the entire movement.
In their joint statement, quoted from the QFL’s press release, union leaders were unequivocal:
“Unions belong to their members. This government is deliberately plunging Québec into social chaos. Instead of addressing the real problems faced by the population, scapegoats are being designated to distract from the QFC’s disastrous record. A government that will go down in history as one of the worst Québec has ever known.”
With more than 600,000 members, the QFL remains Quebec’s largest labour federation and, following this 34th Convention, reaffirms its strong commitment to defending the rights of all Québec workers.
