(Quebec) Light at the end of the tunnel for hundreds of thousands of parents in Quebec: Children could be back in class next Monday, according to François Legault, who argues that negotiations with striking teachers are “going very well.” That is wrong, counters the Autonomous Education Federation.
Published at 10:16 am. Updated at 11:06 a.m
“I hope that from Monday all children will go back to school,” the prime minister said upon his arrival on Wednesday at the Honoré Mercier building, where his offices are located.
“Firstly, things are going well, very well with the teachers, we talk to each other about the difficulty of the task, about how we can accept people into the classes. “It’s going very well,” Mr Legault said, adding that it was “very important” for him and the children to return to class as quickly as possible.
The response from the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) was swift.
“Contrary to what François Legault says, the news at the table is not encouraging. The government blows hot and cold. He promises us an opening and then immediately closes the door. “The government’s strategy is clearly to divide the movement and exhaust teachers,” the union wrote on social media.
“Don’t ride François Legault’s roller coaster,” we also read.
In a video shared on social networks on Tuesday evening, the president of this union, Mélanie Hubert, already struck a different tone than the government.
During negotiations, “the days follow one another and are not always the same,” Ms. Hubert explained.
“ [Lundi]at the end of the day, the management side submitted texts in anticipation of the next day and [ils] didn't necessarily reflect what was said during the day on Monday. […] They didn’t represent our ideas,” says Mélanie Hubert.
“We have fallen back a little into the same mode we have been in for some time, that is, the good old reflex: “Now it is up to the union to give us feedback,” adds Mélanie Hubert.
“The urgency is that things are clarified at the tables,” she asserts and says that she still has hope for an agreement before Christmas.
The approximately 65,000 teachers of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) have been on an indefinite general strike since November 23rd. Pressure on parents and union members who don't have strike pay has increased in recent days. The effects of the ongoing strike on the learning of children and young people are also being raised.
Health: “very difficult” negotiations
On the other hand, François Legault said that negotiations with the unions representing health workers were “very difficult”.
“There is almost no way to give us the flexibility that is absolutely necessary to improve health services. Therefore, I think everything will be fine in January,” the prime minister said, without naming a specific union.
On Sunday, the Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS-CSN), which itself was part of the joint trade union front, also reiterated that the negotiations were not progressing at the desired “speed”. “We cannot announce publicly that we want to reach an agreement before the end of the year and have this rhythm. “The government is not behaving as if it were urgent,” said President Réjean Leclerc.
The Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) – the largest nurses' union – submitted a counteroffer to the Legault government three days ago.