Almost eight out of ten construction workers do not report cases of intimidation or harassment on construction sites for fear of reprisals or loss of their jobs, says Minister Jean Boulet.
• Also read: Beware of bullying at company parties
According to a Léger survey conducted in the spring on behalf of the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), as many as 79% of workers choose not to report.
This situation is particularly detrimental to the recruitment of women to construction sites at a time when the industry is grappling with critical labor shortages and an urgent need for new schools and infrastructure.
“I was always afraid”
The labor minister recalls an electrician student from a rare gender-equal cohort who recently met at a vocational training center in Trois-Rivières. She admitted that she hesitated for a long time before choosing the construction sector. “I was always afraid,” she confessed to Jean Boulet.
“Threats, intimidation and discrimination are often cited as factors,” emphasizes the minister. But the more parity you have and the more women you have on the job sites, I think it creates quality, courtesy and respect.
The Minister of Labor is therefore relying heavily on the recruitment of female workers to partially respond to the labor shortage.
The presence of women in the construction industry is still low. They only make up 3.65% of the workforce. Quebec wants to attract more than 1,600 new workers.
An anti-harassment law
Jean Boulet believes his recent draft law to combat bullying and sexual violence in the workplace will help remove barriers to recruiting and retaining workers on construction sites.
Jean Boulet, at the construction site of the future La Caserne stage of the Théâtre Les gros becs, on Dalhousie Street in Quebec. Decency
Victims will be assured of the confidentiality of their actions and will be protected from reprisals and loss of employment, while all companies must have a policy against harassment and intimidation, the minister stresses. Currently a third of employers do not have one.
“All this will allow us to create a healthier, safer and risk-free environment as we reduce the risk of harassment, intimidation and discrimination,” adds Jean Boulet.
He recalls that in Quebec, across all sectors of activity, almost one in two people have observed or experienced inappropriate or discriminatory sexualized behavior in the workplace. According to a 2021 Statistics Canada survey, women are twice as numerous (26%) as men (13%).
In Quebec, in the construction industry:
- 79% report no case of discrimination, intimidation or harassment: according to a Léger survey carried out on behalf of the CCQ, the main reason cited is fear of reprisal or loss of job.
- 32% of companies do not have clear policies and practices for dealing with cases of discrimination, bullying or harassment.
- In 2022, there were 7,218 women in the construction industry who worked at least one hour, i.e. 3.65% of all construction workers.
- Quebec wants 4.5% of its workforce to be women, or 8,899 women.
Source: Office of the Secretary of Labor
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.