In What Ways Does Union Structure in Quebec Differ from That

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The Answer is suggested:First, and most important, Quebec is the only province to have multiple labour federations. Like other provinces, it has its CLC affiliate, the Quebec Federation of Labour QFL); however, the QFL, unlike other provincial labour federations, must compete for members with other labour federations operating in the province.

The main reason for Quebec's multiple federations—a situation common enough in Europe, although not in North America—was the rise of the confessional labour movement just after the First World War. As we noted in the labour history chapter, the confessional unions operated on a very different basis from most ordinary international) trade unions of the day, and gave the internationals stiff competition for members. While the former confessional federation, the Confe´de´ration des syndicats nationaux CSN) has dropped its affiliation with the Catholic Church and no- strike policy, it continues to compete with the QFL for members. Other important federations in the province include the centrale de l'enseignement du Que´bec CEQ), or education federation, and the Centrale des syndicats de´mocratiques CSD). Like the CSN, the CEQ is a former confessional union which practices a strongly
socially- conscious brand of unionism. In contrast, the CSD is politically neutral; indeed, it left the CSN during the 1970s in protest over the larger federation's radicalism. This schism foreshadowed the larger one that occurred a few years later between the CLC and Canadian Federation of Labour. Again, a situation where different labour federations are divided over politics is rare in North America but quite typical of European countries.

In addition to the four provincial federations, Quebec has a large number of independent unions not affiliated with any of the federations. In all, these unions represent about one- quarter of the province's union members.

The second major difference is the unusual degree of autonomy granted the QFL by the CLC. Among other things, the CLC has yielded its usual jurisdiction over labour education and local labour councils. In 1994, it went even further, granting the QFL powers which would normally be granted only to a national labour organization, such as the right to designate its own representatives to activities held by international labour groups. While such special powers and privileges have undoubtedly been a source of friction and resentment within the CLC arguably they are necessary to keep the QFL within the CLC at all), in a situation in which it continues to face fierce competition for members from strongly nationalist federations like the CSN and at a time when the separatist debate has heated up once again.

In What Ways Does Union Structure in Quebec Differ from That

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