Quebec wants to change rules for negotiating with public sector unions

Quebec Treasury Board President Sonia Lebel responds to the Opposition on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at the National Assembly. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government says it wants to scrap the way it negotiates with public sector unions.

"The bargaining system will no longer have a raison d'être in 2024," said Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel in a formal ministerial statement just before Question Period.

She announced that a bill to change how things are done would be tabled at a later date.

Negotiations are currently governed by strict rules complete with sectoral tables, central tables and a timetable.

This comes as François Legault's government emerges from difficult and costly negotiations.

Quebec is still trying to reach an agreement with early childhood educators.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 4, 2024.