Quebec’s nine largest labour unions have just filed a complaint with the International Labour Organization against a law introduced by Labour Minister Jean Boulet.
The law aims to improve union governance and transparency. It has drawn particular attention because it establishes the principle of optional union dues—in addition to the main dues—to fund certain activities. It also requires union groups to provide more detailed accountability through audited financial statements, the scope of which varies depending on the union’s revenue.
The International Labour Organization is a United Nations agency comprising representatives of governments, employers, and workers from 187 member states.
The plaintiff unions are the four labour federations—the CSD, the CSN, the CSQ, and the FTQ—as well as the two major health care unions, the FIQ and the APTS, in addition to the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) and the two major unions representing public service employees and professionals, the SPGQ and the SFPQ.
- By Lia Lévesque
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 7, 2026.
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