In Quebec the number of days that workers have been on strike increased 68 percent in 1998 over the same period in 1997. The Quebec Employers Council called on the labor minister to do something about the situation.
The socialist campaign, however, hailed this resistance. Martinez stated, "We put forward a program that aims at uniting all working people. This includes fighting for a reduction of the workweek with no loss in pay as part of overcoming unemployment and poverty. We campaign for affirmative action measures that can redress the impact of discrimination against oppressed sectors of the working class such as women, Francophones, Blacks, and Natives. This perspective of working-class unity cannot stop at borders. We demand Canadian banks cancel the debt of countries oppressed by imperialism. A fight for such a demand will be key in uniting workers from oppressed countries with those from imperialist countries."