Unions representing 570,000 Quebec public sector workers on strike

Unions representing nearly 570,000 Quebec public sector workers are on strike Thursday – all at the same time.

And for the first time since strike action began earlier this month, Premier François Legault said he is willing to increase his government’s offer.

He added that unions need to show more “flexibility,” particularly around work schedules, adding that the current round of negotiations will be decisive for the future of the health and education networks and their ability to provide efficient services.

We are here today, loud and clear and that’s the message we’re sending to the government,” said Caroline Letarte-Simoneau, national representative for the APTS of the Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

“It’s really a cry for help, because we want better working conditions so we can give better services to the population of Quebec,” said Caroline Senneville, president of the CSN union.

In addition to the common front, the FAE, representing about 66,000 elementary and secondary school teachers, launched an unlimited general strike on Thursday. The FIQ, with about 80,000 nurses and other health-care workers, is striking on Thursday and Friday.

Legault said that too many past governments rushed to settle issues around salary increases and failed to press the unions on how work is organized.

“Come to the negotiation table,” he said in a message to the unions. “In exchange for this flexibility, we are ready to enhance our offer.”

Unions, for their part, say they are willing to negotiate work schedules, but they won’t do so in public.

“Flexibility, we’ve had it for a long time,” Magali Picard, head of the FTQ, told reporters, in response to Legault. Eric Gingras, president of the CSQ, told the same news conference that the government is using the issue of flexibility to influence the public.

“It works with the population, because by telling them that, it makes us look like we are people who won’t budge, but we are moving. We are in transaction mode.”

“The government must act on the class composition,” said Benoît Giguère, vice-president of labour relations at the FAE. “The flexibility he is asking us is mostly for subjects that are treated locally, within the service center. We cannot do some of the subjects for us to be negotiating.”

Teachers want to see change

“[Legault] doesn’t understand the situation of teachers, he has to come see one day what it’s like in the classroom for us,” said teacher, Liliane Belair. “We are tired.”

“We have problems having good people here, we keep losing people going into the private system,” said Martin Lachapelle.

For high school teacher, Karim Binette, it’s more than just a fight for salary increases.

“We’re here today to fight for our conditions,” he said. “I work in a public school, I see it every day we’re out there fighting, dong what we can with very little support, they’re asking for a lot of sacrifice on our part and we would just like to get a fair share of whatever we can get.”

The unions will evaluate the next steps of their strike in the coming days. Members of the FAE don’t know how long the strike will last.

“We are ready to negotiate 24/7, but if we must take the streets longer, we will do it,” said Giguère.

“It puts a lot of stress on our finances, but it shows we’re out there fighting for a good cause,” said Binette. “We’re not paid right now, we’re losing money, it’s a hard time for everybody and we’re still out here in the streets, fighting for our rights, fighting for the kids, it shows we’re dedicated to get what we want.”

Four unions – known by their initials CSQ, CSN, APTS and FTQ – have formed what they call a “common front” and are striking together. They represent some 420,000 members in the health, education and social services sectors. Thursday was the last day of a three-day strike, following a one-day strike on Nov. 6. Union leaders wouldn’t say what pressure tactics could come next.

Unions have rejected the proposal for a 10.3-per-cent salary increase over five years, a one-time payment of $1,000 to each worker, and an extra three per cent for certain jobs the province says are priorities.

Instead, they want a three-year deal that includes salary increases tied to the inflation rate: two percentage points above inflation in the first year or $100 per week, whichever is more beneficial, followed by three points higher than inflation in the second year and four points higher in the third.

“The government can say ‘it’s not working with the common front’, but it’s not working with the FIQ, it’s not working with the FAE, it’s not working… At some point, it doesn’t work with anyone! You have to ask yourself some questions! Let’s not forget that the strike (Thursday) will see nearly 600,000 people in the streets of Quebec. It’s going to be the biggest strike ever in Canada,” said CSN vice-president François Enault.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 23, 2023.