Our patience has its limits, that much is clear. Society undoubtedly recognizes the importance of nurses and teachers, and rightly so. The former watch over the most vulnerable, the sick, while the latter shape the future of Quebecers. The unions, well aware of the esteem in which they are held, skillfully play on this sensitive chord.
Alternative facts
On the other hand, the government has a hell of a mountain to climb to justify its proposals. We get lost in the twists and turns of these incomprehensible offers, and the unions take advantage of it. They exploit the government’s inability to communicate clearly to serve us easily digestible “alternative facts”, even if they are misleading.
The unions give us the idea that a simple financial contribution, an increase in remuneration, will be enough to solve our problems of accessibility and quality of services. But how can we explain that these problems are growing despite the generous increases obtained during previous negotiations (between 11% and 33%)? Isn’t this undeniable proof that we need to consider a different approach?
- Listen to the political meeting with Yasmine Abdelfadel and Marc-André Leclerc via QUB radio :
Refusal to negotiate
Worse still, let’s admit that the idea of exploring other solutions is not part of their ideology. Is it not their duty to negotiate with a minimum of good faith before rushing us into an unlimited general strike? Because you see, the unions did not even deign to respond to the fourth government offer submitted on October 29. They simply ignored this gesture on the part of the employer. Nothing, absolute nothingness. Why negotiate when we can trigger a strike and plunge Quebec, as well as our children, into a crisis of uncertainty?
There was a time when a strike was the last resort, an exceptional measure in negotiations. It appears that the unions made the decision to start a nuclear war even before severing diplomatic relations. A very curious way of defending the interests of those who are most appreciated within our society.