1. Workers contact the union and meet with a union organizer.
  2. Workers sign union cards applying for membership in the union and authorizing the union to represent them in negotiations with their employer. The Quebec Labour Code requires CUPE to collect $2 from each worker when they sign a membership card.
  3. To obtain certification, there are two possibilities:
    1. If a majority (50% + 1) of the workers sign membership cards, there is no vote and the Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT) will certify the union automatically. (Go directly to step 5) OR
    2. If at least 35% of the workers sign membership cards, the union may request a secret ballot vote. (Go to step 4)
  4. The Tribunal administratif du travail holds the secret ballot vote to confirm whether workers want a union. Everyone who is in the bargaining unit the union applied to represent can vote. If the majority (50% + 1) of workers vote to unionize, the union is certified.
  5. Congrats! The union will now serve notice to the employer to begin bargaining your first contract.

The Tribunal administratif du travail keeps the certification process confidential and does not share information on who signed union cards. Employers never get to see the cards.

Join CUPE today 
Contact: Recrutementquebec@scfp.ca