Quebec union warns omnibus bill could put public sector workers’ safety at risk
Written by The Canadian Press on October 19, 2025
MONTREAL — One of the major unions in Quebec is calling attention to an omnibus bill it says could put the health and safety of public sector workers at risk.
If passed the bill would roll back previously won laws surrounding the implementation of health and safety measures in the health care, social services and education sectors, warned the union, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux.
“This bill, if it’s ultimately adopted, will establish a two-tiered system for health and safety in the workplace,” said Caroline Senneville, the head of the union.
It’s denouncing the proposed legislation amid a week of action it’s hosting to promote health and safety in the workplace. It represents roughly 330,000 workers, including some outside of Quebec.
The union says the proposed law will overwhelmingly harm women, given they take up over 75 per cent of those that work in these sectors.
Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet introduced Bill 101 back in April.
Speaking to journalists then, he said the proposed changes are meant to account for the “organizational capacity” of the health care, social services and education sectors.
It proposes limiting the minimum number of hours allocated to improving occupational health and safety standards in those sectors. Under the proposed law, the fewer workers managed, the fewer hours would be required.
This means union representatives in the public sector will now have less time at their disposal to look into work-related accidents and illnesses, Senneville said, and less time to issue recommendations aimed at improving working conditions. To her, it’s incomprehensible that a private seniors home could get more resources to promote the wellbeing of its workers than one in the public sector.
She said the government is justifying its position by saying it can’t afford to pull workers away so often from their regular duties, given many of these workplaces in the public sector are understaffed.
“But one of the reasons there’s a labour shortage is because many have had accidents at work, and have been forced to go on leave,” Senneville said, which is why prevention is key. “It’s really an incredibly short-sighted approach.”
She said the proposed changes also go against the advice of Quebec’s workplace health and safety board, the CNESST.
Responding to concerns from a union leader speaking at parliamentary commissions this past May, Boulot characterized the proposed changes as an interim measure, one that was needed in light of “the severity of the labour shortage,” and possible service disruptions that could be caused by “too many hours of union leave.”
Senneville said she worries the bill could be adopted very soon given it’s now in final stages of the legislative process.
“All the unions and opposition parties also tabled amendments, which were rejected by the minister,” she said.
The omnibus labour bill also proposes improved transparency measures, making it so unions would have to disclose audited financial statements to their members on an annual basis, as well as means to speed up the handling of grievances in the workplace, among other proposed changes.
The Canadian Press reached out Quebec’s Labour Ministry for comment about the bill, but didn’t immediately receive a response.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2025.
With files from Audrey Sanikopoulos.
Miriam Lafontaine, The Canadian Press