QUEBEC CITY — A back-to-work bill affecting construction workers on general strike since last week has passed Quebec’s National Assembly. The provincial government tabled the legislation reluctantly, in order to bring an end to the high costs of the strike. Both workers and bosses denounced the law as Union representatives have vowed to contest its validity in court. The Alliance syndicale de la construction’s Michel Trépanier told the Montreal Gazette that lawyers would be looking at two grounds for challenge: the removal of collective bargaining rights, and the sweeping powers the government is giving itself to decide on arbitration.
At the same time, the Quebec Construction Association decried the automatic 1.8% raise for workers included in the package. “We have no assurance the workers will negotiate after they get their raise,” said spokesman Éric Côté. “They can just sit there and do nothing.” Only the Association des professionnels de la construction et de l’habitation du Québec, representing residential builders, welcomed the law as a move to get the parties back to the table. Meanwhile, Premier Philippe Couillard scolded both sides for looking to the government instead of negotiating in good faith.