About 300 workers join 13,000-strong public sector union
La Fraternité des constables du contrôle routier du Québec (FCCRQ), representing Quebec highway patrol officers, voted in favour of affiliating with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) on Aug. 21.
The FCCRQ represents 300 members — making PSAC the largest Canadian union representing public safety workers with more than 13,000 members — from border services officers and firefighters to park wardens, fishery officers, First Nations police and coast guard patrols.
“The FCCRQ needed a helping hand to promote several important issues with the government,” says Éric Labonté, FCCRQ president. “PSAC has already demonstrated they can achieve important gains for their members which stems from an expertise in our field.”
Whether working in patrol vehicles or in road network control areas, FCCRQ members enforce highway traffic laws, provincial regulations and the Criminal Code. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of road users and for reporting any irregularities found on the network. Their control, surveillance and prevention work is essential in safeguarding Québec's road network, says the union.
PSAC has a track record of securing important victories for peace officers in several sectors, including significant wage increases, armed positions and improved working conditions for border services officers across Canada, says the union.
