Tired of the lack of progress at the negotiating tables, representatives of the Common Front in Health and Social Care have not ruled out the possibility of an indefinite general strike after the holidays.
• Also read: FIQ presented its counteroffer
• Also read: Flexibility, what does that mean for the Common Front?
This was acknowledged Sunday morning by Maxime Ste-Marie, president of the Provincial Social Affairs Council of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CPAS-SCFP-FTQ).
“If we have to go on an indefinite general strike after the holidays, we will do that,” he said during a press conference outside the CHUM research center in Montreal.
The unions are scheduled to meet on December 19 and hope to reach an agreement in principle with Quebec at that time.
“Our teams are ready and sitting at the tables. If the employer side does not take the effort and time, from this moment on it will no longer be our fault,” emphasized Réjean Leclerc, President of the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN). “Intensification must continue to progress.”
Amid a new strike sequence that began on Friday, union representatives are concerned about the government's absence from the negotiating tables at the end of the week.
Mr Leclerc also criticized Prime Minister François Legault for his interference. “He says all sorts of things that aren’t reflected at the table,” he argued.
Members of the Common Front are on strike until December 14th. The Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ), which just made a counteroffer in Quebec, will join them on Monday.