Thousands of turquoise flags flew in downtown Montreal on Saturday afternoon for the demonstration by the public sector union front, which says it is ready to launch an indefinite general strike if the Quebec government does not present a “serious” offer.
This march took place in parallel with negotiations on collective bargaining agreements for union members with Quebec.
The leaders of the four unions that form the common front, the CSQ, the FTQ, the APTS and the CSN, spoke to the media before the march, while dozens of yellow buses unloaded protesters near Jeanne-Mance Park.
The Front represents 420,000 public sector workers, including in health, social services, education and higher education.
“People are angry,” concluded CSN vice-president François Enault, referring to Quebec’s proposal to increase public sector workers’ salaries by 9% in five years. This is an inadequate offer “that will not be accepted,” explained Mr. Enault.
Éric Gingras, president of the CSQ, also expressed the boredom of the union members.
“We were told an arm-sized thank you, we were told that we were guardian angels throughout the pandemic. When it comes to paying for good working conditions, they no longer listen to us,” he said.
The Common Front also said it was ready to launch an indefinite general strike if the government did not respond.
“We are not hoping to get there, it is the last resort that we will use.” “We are preparing for this because it takes a long time to have strike mandates in the public sector,” said Robert Comeau, president of the APTS. Our people are ready. »
“If you look at the number of school buses that are here, the charter planes that left Abitibi this morning, our people are ready because they have nothing left to lose,” added FTQ President Magali Picard.
Ms. Picard believes the Quebec government should consider itself “lucky” that the Common Front organized this demonstration.
” It is [sa] Chance to take the opportunity to reach out and be serious about serious offers this time,” she added.
Go for the next generation
People from other parts of Quebec took part in the march on Saturday.
“It’s about our conditions, the conditions of the people who will come. We must not go backwards, we must continue to move forward,” said Andrée Morin, who works at the CIUSSS du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. She even took a plane to demonstrate in the metropolis.
Joanie St-George, who works as a secretary at a school in the Joliette area, said she was inspired by her two colleagues who stood by her side during the demonstration and are long-time workers at the school service center.
“I’m the next generation and we think it’s important that it continues,” Ms St-George said. We’ve noticed this for several years. There is a labor shortage and we cannot keep our good people. So if we want everything to continue to run well, it is important that we have salaries that allow us to attract and retain people. »
Working conditions and salaries are also among the concerns of Patricia Gauthier-Grégoire, who works in a rehabilitation center with a physical disability. She pointed out that jobs in her field require a bachelor’s degree or, in her case, even a master’s degree.
“These are people with higher education who are losing purchasing power every year. So we’re losing workers, we’re losing people who might want to work with us and instead choose careers where the salaries are better and the conditions are better,” she explained.
The march participants gathered at Jeanne-Mance Park around 1 p.m. and made their way to the Quartier des Spectacles, where they were treated to a performance by comedian Rosalie Vaillancourt and a second performance by singer Vincent Roberge, better known under the pseudonym Les Louanges. attended.