Quebec's largest union federation outlines demands before election is officially called
The first demands related to the labour market were not long in coming, as Quebec's largest union federation announced its priorities even before the official call of the federal election.
The Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) believes that political parties must commit to improving the employment insurance system and modernizing federal laws that protect workers, whether it be anti-scab provisions, preventive withdrawal of pregnant workers or protection of pension plans in the event of corporate bankruptcy.
"The pandemic has made us realize the importance of having a strong and reliable social safety net. We have a duty to protect it and even improve it... Those who aspire to lead us must listen to the population," said FTQ President Daniel Boyer and Secretary-General Denis Bolduc in a statement issued early Sunday morning.
The environment is also at the heart of the FTQ's concerns, and it expects firm commitments from the candidates and leaders of the various political parties to implement an "economic recovery plan based on a fair transition and respect for the environment in the image of the 21st century."
The union leaders also invited the party leaders to come and meet them to share their concerns for the workers and their families. The union will also share its analysis of the election campaign with its members.
"The FTQ is preparing an electoral platform with its main demands, along with an analysis of the various commitments of the political parties. This platform will be made public so that all workers can make an informed choice at the time of the vote," said Bolduc.
The FTQ represents more than 600,000 unionized workers in Quebec.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 15, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
ANALYSIS Will Donald Trump go to prison? What the precedent says
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Liberal government's own polling said Canadians worried about drug decriminalization
Months before British Columbia sought to scale back its drug decriminalization pilot project, the federal government's own polling suggested to officials that a majority of Canadians believed the policy would lead to an increase in overdoses.
Loblaw testing out small-format No Frills grocery stores
Loblaw is testing smaller-format discount stores across the country this year as shoppers increasingly look for ways to save on their grocery bill.
Doomsday plot: Jury convicts Idaho man of killing wife and girlfriend's 2 children
An Idaho man was convicted Thursday of killing his wife and his new girlfriend's two youngest kids in a strange triple murder case that included claims of apocalyptic prophesies, zombie children and illicit affairs.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.