The week promises to be tumultuous in public services in Quebec, as three strikes will take place at different times, but they will all overlap on Thursday.
First the Common Front, which is made up of the CSN, the APTS, the CSQ and the FTQ, and which represents 420,000 members, will get the ball rolling with its walkout which will take place on November 21, 22 and 23 . It will affect health, social services, schools and college establishments.
Then the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ), which has 80,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals, will in turn walk off the job on November 23 and 24.
And from Thursday 23, it is the 66,000 teachers of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) who will begin an unlimited general strike.
More trading days have been added to the calendar this week; negotiation committees will therefore discuss during the strike exercise.
“We said that if there was no settlement before the 21st, we would be on strike. It is clear that there will be no settlement before the 21st. What we are saying is that we are ready to negotiate seven days a week. We want a settlement,” said François Enault, vice-president of the CSN, in an interview.
Last Friday, Prime Minister François Legault assured of his goodwill and eagerness to renew the collective agreements which concern some 600,000 state employees. “I hope that we resolve this in the coming days and that there is no strike next week,” he said.
But these three strikes will be difficult to avoid, given the meager progress at the tables.
“The government did not avoid the first short strike sequence. He did not avoid the second strike sequence. I hope he will understand that he should try to work to avoid the third sequence of strikes,” said Mr. Enault of the CSN.
Towards unlimited?
The Common Front’s strike mandate is one of unlimited 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, yes it could be an unlimited general strike somewhere in December, if things do not move forward. But we continue. The only thing we agree on with the government is that we want a regulation for the Holidays,” concluded Mr. Enault.
Among others, the Common Front represents the majority of primary and secondary teachers in Quebec, through the CSQ. In health establishments, he also represents beneficiary attendants through the CSN and the FTQ. And he also represents technicians and professionals in health and social services through the APTS. It also represents tens of thousands of support employees, both in the education and health sectors.