The week is set to be turbulent in Quebec’s public sector, as three strikes will take place at different times, but they will all overlap on Thursday.
First, the Common Front, made up of CSN, APTS, CSQ and FTQ and representing 420,000 members, will open the ball with its strike, which will take place on November 21st, 22nd and 23rd. It will impact healthcare, social services, schools and higher education institutions.
Then the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ), which includes 80,000 nurses and other medical professionals, will in turn walk out of work on November 23rd and 24th.
And from Thursday 23rd, it is the 66,000 teachers of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) who will begin an indefinite general strike.
More trading days have been added to the calendar this week; The negotiating committees will therefore discuss during the strike exercise.
We said if there was no agreement by the 21st we would go on strike. It is clear that there will be no agreement before the 21st. We say we are ready to negotiate seven days a week. “We want regulation,” François Enault, vice president of the CSN, said in an interview.
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François Enault, Vice President of the CSN. (archive photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada / Félix Duchesne
Last Friday, Prime Minister François Legault reiterated his goodwill and willingness to renew collective agreements affecting around 600,000 public servants. “I hope that we will resolve this in the coming days and that there will be no strike next week,” he said.
But these three blows will be difficult to avoid given the poor progress at the tables.
The government could not escape the first short strike sequence. He couldn’t avoid the second punch sequence. “I hope he will understand that he should try to avoid the third attack sequence,” said CSN’s Mr. Enault.
Towards an indefinite strike?
The Joint Front’s strike mandate calls for an indefinite general strike, which would be preceded by strike sequences. The next sequence could therefore last a few more days or become unlimited.
Currently the mandate we have is, yes, there could be an indefinite general strike sometime in December if things don’t progress. But we carry on. The only thing we agree on with the government is that we want regulations for the holidays.
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The 420,000 Common Front workers will strike Monday morning to put pressure on Quebec.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes
Among other things, the Common Front represents the majority of primary and secondary school teachers in Quebec through the CSQ. In health facilities, he also represents beneficiaries through the CSN and the FTQ.
The Common Front, through the APTS, also represents health and human services technicians and professionals, as well as tens of thousands of support staff in both the education and health sectors.
The minister calls for flexibility
In a video posted on social media, Treasury President Sonia LeBel called on unions to be more flexible.
She recalled that Quebec had already presented four offers, the most recent one amounting to eight billion dollars. “And I have no counteroffer, I was offered nothing in return,” she lamented, emphasizing that her government had agreed to historic salary increases.
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Sonia LeBel is president of the Quebec government’s finance committee. (archive photo)
Photo: The Canadian Press / Jacques Boissinot
The Minister recognizes that the salary issue is important, but calls on union members to be more flexible in their demands.
If we only give raises, the daily life of the teacher who finds his class too difficult will not change, Ms. LeBel argued. That of the nurse who has to work mandatory overtime at the last minute and has to reorganize her guilt and her life will not change.
“We have an opportunity to improve working conditions and services for the population,” the elected official continued. We must not miss our chance, we must seize the opportunity.
The unions are fighting back
A trip that hurt the unions. [Quatre] The FIQ published suggestions on There are Limits!
The CSN also reacted
Suggestions, signals, we have put a lot on the table. Just because we didn’t post it on social media doesn’t mean it wasn’t done.
The Centrale des syndicats du Québec wanted to correct the facts presented by Ms. LeBel. New union proposals were submitted at all industry tables to talk about working conditions. But the [gouvernement] don’t even want to talk about it.
For its part, the branch representing Montreal, Laval and Montérégie of the Quebec Public and Parapublic Service Union stressed that the eight billion dollars offered by the government will be spread over five years and distributed to more than 760,000 employees. For some, that means an increase in their pay of just over $35 a week. […] Everything is relative.
The Alliance of Montreal Professors also responded to Ms. LeBel’s video
But she agrees that beyond salary increases, teaching conditions also need to be reviewed to attract and retain teachers.