Intransigence, abuse of power, endless paperwork… SME bosses urgently want to abolish the joint committees, which they say undermine the competitiveness of the 10,240 companies subject to this regime.
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“It’s relentless, it’s abusive and harassing. They have all the rights,” Gaëtan Gargantini, the owner of a garage in Rivière-Rouge, at the gate to the Hautes-Laurentides, loudly denounces to the Journal for 30 years.
“We have to abolish this law. This system needs to be checked,” says the man, who employs five people.
In Quebec, joint committees are responsible for monitoring companies so that they comply with the good working conditions provided for in the decree.
What shocks many SME owners like Gaëtan Gargantini is the fact that they exist in some regions and not in others, even if they are in the same sector.
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In his opinion, these committees often end up being overzealous rather than allowing bosses to manage their labor relations as they see fit.
“They followed me twice to catch me and my technician because we were working on Saturdays. We only have a few employees,” sighs Gargantini, annoyed by these late visits.
The Joint Automotive Industry Committee of the Lanaudière-Laurentides Regions (CPA Lanaudière-Laurentides) contacted by Le Journal for comment was unable to answer our questions on Tuesday.
Gaëtan Gargantini believes that joint committees will no longer have a place in 2023. Provided by Gaëtan Gargantini
Petitions to Minister Boulet
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), like Gaëtan Gargantini, more than 77% of SME owners see no advantage in this law.
In a bid to turn the tide, more than 1,500 petitions were submitted last Thursday calling on Labor Minister Jean Boulet to address the future of the committees or abolish them.
“Quebec has the highest payroll taxes (30% more than the Canadian average). Unfortunately, if a company falls under the administration of a collective agreement, it will have to pay even more. “That is complete nonsense,” says François Vincent, CFIB vice-president for Quebec.
He regrets that Quebec SME bosses pay $12 million in contributions to these joint committees every year “for paperwork.”
The 1,500 signatories of the petition represent 15% of the companies subject to this regime and are calling for its abolition. Provided by CFIB
“It is a measure from another era that undermines healthy competition,” says Éric Côté, CEO of the Corporation of General Contractors of Quebec (CEGQ).
According to Jean-Claude Bernatchez, full professor of industrial relations at the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières (UQTR), it is true that it is time to ditch the famous joint committees.
“Joint committees must deal not only with working conditions, but also with the productivity of the company,” analyzes the director of the Labor Relations Observatory.
Boulet’s office responds
The office of Labor Minister Jean Boulet, contacted by Le Journal, on the contrary defended the relevance of joint committees.
Stevens LeBlanc/JOURNAL DE QUÉBEC
“The law provides benefits for employees subject to the 15 applicable regulations that cannot be denied,” the Journal was told.
“We have adopted the General Rules of Procedure Governing the Rules of Procedure of a Joint Committee, which came into force on September 8, 2022, in order to improve certain practices relating to transparency and governance of all Joint Committees, within the framework of the applicable legal provisions. ” he concluded.
– In collaboration with Nicolas Brasseur
What is a Joint Committee?
– composed equally of employee representatives and employer representatives
– responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the regulation
– informs and informs employees and employers about working conditions
– handles complaints from an employer or employee
(Source: Ministry of Labor)
Joint Committees (in alphabetical order)
– Joint Committee for the Maintenance of Public Buildings, Montreal Region
– Joint Committee for the Maintenance of Public Buildings in the Quebec Region
– Mauricie Automotive Industry Joint Committee
– Montreal Region Automotive Services Industry Joint Committee
– Joint Committee of the Automotive Services Industry in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Region
– Joint Automotive Industry Committee of the Lanaudière-Laurentides regions
– Joint Industrial Committee for Automotive Services in the Quebec Region
– Joint Committee on the Installation of Petroleum Equipment in Quebec
– Joint Committee of Security Officers
– Joint Committee of Mud Collectors in the Montreal Region
– Joint Committee on Building Materials
– Joint Building Materials Committee (metal carpentry)
– District of Quebec Joint Trucking Committee
– Quebec Traffic Sign Industry Joint Human Resources Committee
– Eastern Townships Automotive Service Industry Joint Committee
(Source: Ministry of Labor)
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