Quebec’s 25th convention got underway today as CUPE members from Le Journal de Québec continued job action against Quebecor. Their job action is the production of the first-ever free newspaper in Quebec City—MédiaMatin.
CUPE National President Paul Moist and National Secretary-Treasurer Claude Généreux brought greetings to delegates, the locked out Journal de Québec workers and other workers who are resisting concessions on tables in Quebec just as they are in regions right across the country.
Mr. Moist called upon Péladeau and other corporate leaders as well as politicians in Quebec and elsewhere to understand that CUPE’s full membership of 560,000 members is behind the numerous ongoing fights against privatization and concessions.
“Health care in Quebec as in the rest of the country, particularly British Columbia, is under attack,” Moist told delegates. And CUPE members are pushing back.
He also lauded the tremendous campaign by hydro workers to keep wind energy public.
Jacques Parizeau, former PQ premier of Quebec had been scheduled to speak at the convention but for health reasons his appearance was cancelled. Bernard Chabot, a TVA reporter and CUPE member presented Parizeau’s remarks. The remarks delivered as a historic overview highlighted the importance of public services when considering the long term social and economic health of a society.