Quebec: climate strike on 23 September

“We have run out of time,” says François Geoffroy, spokesman for Travailleuses et travailleurs pour la justice climatique (TJC – “Workers for Climate Justice”). “Our only chance to avoid catastrophic climate change is to start a complete exit from oil and gas now. Our governments refuse to do so.”

The mobilized unions, five of which have already adopted a strike mandate, are calling for a complete ban on fossil fuels, as well as massive taxation of wealth, reinvestment in public services and social programs. “Only the strike will allow us to build the balance of forces necessary to counterbalance the fossil fuel lobby,” Geoffroy says.

“Students must take to the streets to protect their future,” says Amélie Beaulé, delegate of the Cégep de Saint-Laurent student association. “From the beginning of the school year, we will propose that our members join the strike movement. We invite all student associations in Quebec to do the same”. Like the trade union associations, they denounce the lack of ambition in climate and social areas of the Legault government. “The fight against climate change and the financing of public services and social programs must be central issues in the next election campaign,” said Beaulé.

Several community organizations are also involved, including the Mouvement d’éducation populaire et d’action communautaire du Québec (MÉPACQ), the Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) and the Réseau québécois de l’action communautaire autonome (RQ-ACA). The Fédération nationale des enseignants et enseignantes du Québec (FNEEQ-CSN), the Fédération de la culture et des communications (FNCC-CSN), the Conseil central des Laurentides (CCSNL-CSN) and the Conseil central de l’Estrie (CCSNE-CSN) also endorsed the movement’s demands.

The two main demands of the movement are:

– Ban fossil fuels by 2030, in terms of production, processing, export and import;

– Massively tax wealth and reinvest massively in public services and social programs, to ensure decent living conditions for all.