Hired as a miner at Normétal in Noranda in 1958, Clément Godbout moved on to serve as Financial Secretary of his union local, number 4514, of the Syndicat des métallos. He became a member of the Board of Directors of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) right from its founding in 1983, holding the position of Vice-president. Mr. Godbout was elected Secretary-General of the FTQ in 1991 and then President from 1993 to 1998. He also ran for the Parti Québécois in the Duplessis riding in the 1973 elections.