The Quebec government, under increasing fire for tabling controversial bills that expressly and intentionally rein in countervailing oversight, introduced a contentious legislative proposal that would markedly overhaul the labour relations regime by significantly handcuffing unions’ capacity to defend themselves and intercede in the public sphere, assert labour and legal experts.
Bill 3, An Act to improve the transparency, governance and democratic process of various associations in the workplace, marks the third time this year that the Quebec government has introduced changes to provincial employment-related statutes, undertakings that have been universally panned by labour and legal experts for infringing core labour rights, including the right to strike and freedom of association.
“Either, brick by brick, they’re dismantling Quebec’s labour laws, or brick by brick, they’re building new walls around unions to stop them from being effective movements in civil society,” remarked labour law professor Finn Makela.
