MONTREAL The presidents of two major Quebec unions, Magali Picard of the FTQ and Éric Gingras of the CSQ, have expressed concerns that workers in Quebec may soon experience the same issues faced by striking Air Canada flight attendants under a provincial law enacted in May 2025. This new legislation empowers Quebec's labour minister to intervene in labour disputes and impose arbitration if a strike or lockout is assessed as likely to cause serious or irreparable harm to the public.
According to Picard and Gingras, the law incentivizes employers to delay negotiations in anticipation of government intervention. They mirrored this provincial situation with a federal law that allows Ottawa to compel two parties in a labour dispute into binding arbitration. This federal intervention has been notably applied in the ongoing conflict between Air Canada and its flight attendants' union.
During a press conference held in Montreal, Picard articulated her apprehensions about the potential misuse of the new law: “Federal intervention is a scenario that is repeating itself and becoming the norm in employers’ bargaining strategies. They let negotiations fester, and then they cry on the government’s shoulder, asking it to intervene under false pretenses.” She predicted that Quebec employees will likely face similar tactics from their employers as seen in the Air Canada conflict.
Supportively, Gingras stated that the flight attendants are currently facing a situation that is “exactly what Quebec unions could experience” under the new law. He highlighted the risk of employers becoming complacent during negotiations, waiting for governmental intervention instead of actively working towards a resolution. This fear is compounded by the fact that the flight attendants’ union recently defied a back-to-work order, leading the federal labour relations board to declare their strike unlawful.
The unions have stated their intention to challenge the new law legally, which is set to come into effect on November 30, 2025. The legislation extends the categories of essential services that must remain operational during strikes or lockouts, aiming to prevent disproportionate impacts on the public's social, economic, or environmental security. However, it notably excludes the health and public services sectors from its provisions.
This unfolding situation highlights mounting tensions between workers' rights and governmental authority in managing labour disputes, as union leaders brace for potential conflicts under the new Quebec regulations.
