Premier Legault must be more involved in strike negotiations, Quebec Liberal leader says

Quebec Premier François Legault must stop being a “commentator” and an “observer” in negotiations with public sector employees and must intervene directly with the unions to break the deadlock, Quebec Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay is arguing.

In an interview with The Canadian Press Sunday, Tanguay says as “head of the Quebec state,” Legault has the duty to enter “personally and directly” into communication with worker representatives so that an agreement can be reached quickly.

“He must do it for our workers, then he must do it for the citizens and students who are negatively impacted by (the strikes),” Tanguay argued.

Thousands of public sector workers, particularly in the fields of education and health, are on strike or will be again in the coming weeks, while the various unions and the government are unable to agree on new collective agreements.

Quebec said it was ready to improve its latest salary offer – which it presented as 14.8 per cent over five years by including $1,000 in the first year and differentiated offers – on the condition the unions agree to be more flexible in the organization of work.

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Last week, Legault published on X two images of meetings he had with the president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville,and Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé to discuss the state of the negotiations.

Tanguay, however, believes Legault should give LeBel a boost by appearing himself at meetings with representatives of the various unions.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews