La concurrence syndicale dans le Québec Trade Union Rivalry in the Province of Quebec

Résumé

Les rivalités syndicales depuis quelques années au Québec font l’objet des manchettes des journaux. Comme les grèves, à cause de leur caractère sensationnel, elles attirent l’attention et posent à plusieurs des points d'interrogation.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent of union rivalry in the Province of Québec starting from union certification votes ordered by the Québec Labour Relations Board.

Unions were classified in four categories according to their affiliation (or non-affiliation): a) CNTU ; b) CLC; c) District 50 UMW; d) Independent.

During the period April 1, 1964 to March 31, 1965, the QLRB ordered 79 votes. In 56 of them, two or more unions were involved seeking for the right to represent the workers in the bargaining unit.

As it is normal, on account of their respective strength and militancy, CNTU and CLC unions are those which are more often in competition, either organizing simultaneously unorganized workers or fighting one another.

In 20% of cases, locals of those two Central bodies were seeking for representation of unorganized workers. Locals holding a certification belonging to the CLC were more often attacked by other unions. In the 37 cases where an already certified union was contested, we find 20 belonging to the CLC and only 6 belonging to the CNTU. Locals affiliated to the CLC were mostly attacked by CNTU : 13 cases out of 20 ; when the former attacked CNTU locals only in 2 cases. The action of CLC was directed against Independent unions (5), District 50 of UMW (4) and even against locals belonging to CLC (3).

The agressivity to remove a union already holding a certificate is almost the same among the CLC (14) and among the CNTU (17).

Locals belonging to CLC are more often than any others the target in raids. Among the 37 cases where a local already certified sees its certification contested, 20 belong to the CLC whereas only 6 belong to the CNTU. And the locals affiliated to CLC were attacked by CNTU 13 times out of 20 while those attacked CNTU locals only 2 times. The action of CLC locals aimed at Independent unions (5), District 50 UMW (4) and even against locals belonging to CLC (3). Agressivity to remove an already certified union is about the same in the CLC (14) as in the CNTU (17).

During the period April 1, 1965 to March 31, 1966, union certification votes ordered by the QLRB where two unions or more were involved have been less numerous. There were only 29.

Simultaneous action by CNTU and CLC for organizing the same non-organized workers decreased to a great extent. While during the previous year there were 11 cases ; in 65-66, there were only 3. But the action of those two Central bodies against independent unions remained the same.

In general, when a local (CNTU or CLC) attempts to remove an already certified union, it is successful while the same action taken by an independent union usually fails.

In both years, union rivalry does not exist only between locals belonging to different central bodies, but also between locals affiliated to the same central body.