Subjects
Grades
The 1970s: Trade Union Activity
Concept sheet | History
Secondary
4
The Unionization of State Employees
Various laws passed in the early 1960s changed the trade union landscape in Quebec. For example, the Labour Code adopted in 1964, and the Public Service Act of 1965. The latter granted employees in the public and parapublic sectors the right to unionize and strike.
What followed was a rapid unionization among civil servants, teachers, and hospital employees. In fact, the total number of union members in Quebec increased from 400,000 in 1960 to more than 850,000 in 1984.[1]
At the same time, trade unions were becoming more secular. Therefore, the Confédération des travailleurs catholiques du Canada (CTCC) became the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN).
- State employees are people employed by the government, for example employees in government departments, teachers, etc.
- The public sector includes the various branches of the government, such as finance, environment, transport, immigration, etc.
- The parapublic sector includes organizations or companies run by the government but that have a certain degree of autonomy, such as Hydro-Québec and universities.
- A union is an organization whose purpose is to defend the rights and interests of workers in dealings with their employer.
Labour Conflicts
In the 1970s, the relationship between unions and governments became increasingly strained. Several labour conflicts happened that led to strikes and lockouts. Unions were demanding higher wages and better working conditions for public-sector employees in order to narrow the gap between working conditions in the public and private sector.
To achieve that aim, the 3 main labour confederations decided to join forces to create a united front.
The Front Commun
In 1971, the government was in the midst of negotiations with the three main labour confederations (CSN, FTQ, CEQ) to renew the collective agreements of more than 200,000 employees in the public and parapublic sectors.
In 1972, the Bourassa government rejected the unions’ demands. To strengthen their position against the government, the three main labour confederations decided to join forces and create a united front.
And so, on April 11, 1972, 200,000 members of those three labour confederations voted in favour of an unlimited general strike. All affected services came to a standstill. That strike impacted hospitals as well as Crown Corporations such as Hydro-Québec.
On April 20, 1972, 9 days into the strike, the government imposed a special law that prevented employees from striking and forced them back to work. The union members grew more frustrated. Some union leaders encouraged their members to disobey the stop-strike orders and continue striking.
Louis Laberge, Yvon Charbonneau, and Marcel Pepin were the presidents of the 3 main labour confederations during the 1972 Front commun.
Source: Conférence de presse du Front commun à l'hôtel Windsor [Photograph], Talbot, P.-H., 1972, April 10, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, (URL). Rights reserved*[2]
In late May, negotiations between the unions and the government resumed.
| Outcome of the Negotiations Between the Unions and the Government | |
| The unions’ achievements |
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| Government measures |
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References
- Bernier Cormier, E., Goulet, G., Krysztofiak, V. et Ste-Marie, P. (2016). Chroniques du Québec et du Canada 1840 à nos jours — 4e secondaire [Student Booklet]. ERPI.
- Talbot, P.-H. (1972, April 10). Conférence de presse du Front commun à l'hôtel Windsor [Photograph]. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. (URL). *Content used by Alloprof in compliance with the Copyright Act in the context of fair use for educational purposes [https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-42/page-9.html].
Social and Political Action by the Unions
In the 1970s, several groups in Quebec, including unions, were calling for greater social justice. Three main labour confederations represented the majority of the province’s unionized employees:
The unions became increasingly involved in social and political activism, calling for greater equality among people and a fairer distribution of wealth. To make their demands heard, the unions joined forces with certain social justice groups, such as feminist groups. On the political front, unions supported parties such as the Parti Québécois that promoted social democratic policies.
Unions also stepped up their pressure tactics, including organizing strikes and protests. They succeeded in securing significant benefits for their members, such as the following: