The right to strike under threat: the APTS demands the withdrawal of Bill 89
March 20, 2025
Québec City – The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) presented its brief today to the parliamentary committee responsible for studying Bill 89. The union reiterates its firm opposition to this unjustified attack on freedom of association and the right to strike. It calls on the minister of labour to immediately withdraw the bill.
“Bill 89 attacks a fundamental right recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada,” said APTS president Robert Comeau. “It grants the minister excessive powers to restrict the right to strike, under the pretext of vague criteria such as ‘social, economic and environmental security’. It’s a direct threat to the balance of power in labour relations and could tip the scales toward employers.”
The union points out that the overwhelming majority of instances of collective bargaining in Québec aren’t settled by a strike or a lock-out. “The government is infringing on everyone’s rights in order to solve a problem that is in reality an exception,” Robert Comeau said. “Rather than undermining employees’ rights, it should tackle the actual issues that are compromising services to Quebecers: difficult working conditions, work overload and employee retention.”
The APTS has the well-being of the public at heart and suggests exploring solutions that enable employees to use effective pressure tactics, without the systematic recourse to strikes. Among these solutions, it suggests authorizing administrative disruptions, a measure that wouldn’t compromise services to Quebecers but that would put pressure on the employer.
“Our members spend a significant part of their time on administrative tasks,” the APTS president said. “Why not let them stop doing some of these tasks as a pressure tactic, without affecting direct care and services to Quebecers?”
If the government insists on going ahead with this bill, the APTS warns that all options are on the table, including a legal challenge.
The APTS
The APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) represents more than 65,000 members who play a key role in ensuring that health and social services institutions run smoothly. Our members provide a wide range of services for all Quebecers, including diagnostic, rehabilitation, nutrition, psychosocial intervention, clinical support, and prevention services.
