2024 - “Clearly, I won't make it”: on strike, a teacher makes Doordash deliveries to try to make ends meet

Deprived of pay, striking teachers are forced to find second jobs, including a teacher from Quebec, a single parent of three teenagers who makes Doordash deliveries to make ends meet, while initiatives to help them multiply.

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Kindergarten teacher Julie-Caroline Dumont has had to find a second job since the indefinite general strike of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) began on Thursday, finding herself without pay.

This teacher from Quebec, who has 23 years of experience, now makes restaurant deliveries every day after her picket hours and on weekends, even though she is well aware that this extra income will not be enough to pay groceries, car and mortgage.

“Clearly, I won’t make it,” she says.

Listen to the interview with Mélanie Hubert, president of the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE), on Alexandre Dubé’s show via QUB radio:

Support group

M^me Dumont never thought she would have to ask for help to meet her needs, but that’s what she decided to do this weekend. A post on a support group for teachers on strike allowed him to quickly find a winter coat for one of his teenagers.

Marjorie Guilbault started this Facebook group at the end of last week to help colleagues who are struggling financially, explains the teacher from Montérégie who is not currently on strike, since she is represented by the Common Front.

With the help of another teacher on strike, Geneviève Groleau, the two administrators of the group were able to collect around $1,000 in donations in 24 hours, which has helped at least twenty teachers so far.

“There are stories that give you chills. There are people who are going through a divorce, others who are going through bereavement… We pair them with people who want to help, there are many who raise their hands. We feel the support of the population,” says M.^me Groleau, who indicates that he has not received any negative comments about this initiative on social networks.

The FAE also made public yesterday the results of a Léger survey carried out last week which demonstrate that the population strongly supports teachers’ requests regarding services for students in difficulty.

In favor of the strike

Even if they find themselves financially stuck, many teachers nevertheless support the strike, since they consider that it is the only possible outcome to achieve real changes.

“I voted for the unlimited general strike,” says Julie-Caroline Dumont, even if the possibility of the conflict dragging out keeps her from sleeping. “We cannot accept the government’s offer, we have to stick together,” she said.

For years, she has seen her kindergarten groups grow heavier, with young children with increasingly complex needs, without additional help in class to lighten her daily life, she laments.

Listen to Alexandre Dubé’s editorial on Benoit Dutrizac’s show via QUB radio :

Two years ago, one of her students in crisis even broke her thumb when she tried to intervene, says M^me Dumont.

“We are often overwhelmed, but despite everything, I am still passionate about teaching and it is this passion that I do not want to lose. But I need help to get there,” she says.

For her part, the president of the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE), Mélanie Hubert, recognizes that teachers “will perhaps turn to other jobs”, in search of income during the conflict, but hopes “from the bottom of my heart” that they will return to teaching once the strike is over.

“It’s up to the government to ensure that these people want to return to their classroom when the agreement is signed,” she said.

Negotiations are still continuing between the government and the FAE, but the discussions are progressing slowly and the gap remains large, says M^me Hubert.

“The pace is not as sustained as we would like and we would like productive discussions,” she said.

For its part, the Legault government said it was ready to improve its salary offer in exchange for flexibility on the union side, with the aim of improving services to the population.

With the collaboration of Anouk Lebel.

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