THE HISTORY OF THE LABOUR MOVEMENT IN QUEBEC

The education Committees of the CSN and CEQ

translated by Arnold Bennett

Quebec has been at the forefront of North American labour turmoil since the 1930s. Now, finally, we have a comprehensive history of the movement dating back to the very origins of the workers’ struggle 150 years ago.

Covered here are the state of the economy, the political situation, the trade unions, and the nature of workers’ political action during each major historical period- 19^th century, early 20^th century, the periods 1930-45, 1945-60, 1960s, 1970s, and, finally, the 1980s. Not only is the political and economic reality described and discussed for an overview of each era, but the reader is also given details of how the various factors have affected the condition of working-class life over the past 150 years, for a true political and social history of Quebec. A chronology and an integral bibliography are added to make this book an invaluable resource.

Contributors include such well known people as Beatrice Chiasson, Michel Dore, Helene David, Louis Fournier, Jean-Marc Montagne, Helene Pare, Stanley Brehaut-Ryerson, and Celine Saint-Pierre.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction- The Origins of the Labour Movement

Chapter 1- The Nineteenth Century:

Chapter 2- The Early Twentieth Century (1900-1930)

Chapter 3- From the Depression to the End of the Second World War (1930-1945)

Chapter 4- The Years 1945-1960

Chapter 5- The Sixties

Chapter 6- The Seventies

Postscript- The Labour Movement Today and Tomorrow

Chronology- Evolution of the Labour Movement

Bibliography- History of the Labour Movement