A “disillusionment”, a “defeat”, disappointment and anger: after learning of the agreement in principle concluded between their union and Quebec, teachers from the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) are experiencing difficulties. difficult aftermath of strike.
What there is to know
The agreement in principle concluded between the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) and the government is being presented these days to members of the teachers’ union.
Many deplore that the central issue of this negotiation, the composition of the class, is not resolved by this agreement.
The 66,500 FAE teachers were on an indefinite general strike for 22 days. In comparison, those represented by the Common Front held an eight-day strike.
” I am very disappointed. »
An orthopedagogist in a Montreal secondary school, Martin Verrette works with students who have learning difficulties.
Last Thursday, he learned of the agreement in principle reached by his union after more than a month of strike. So that teachers can breathe, this agreement provides for “mitigation measures” which are put in place depending on the number of intervention plans that are made for young people in difficulty.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARTIN VERRETTE
Martin Verrette, remedial teacher
At primary level, when 60% of students in a cohort have such a plan, help is provided, for example by opening classes. In secondary school, this threshold is set at 50%.
“I’m a remedial teacher: I’m the one who makes the intervention plans. It will overload my work, and I will not be able to provide any service to the student during this period,” says Mr. Verrette, who expects to carry out double or triple these plans.
The agreement in principle provides that at the secondary level, special education technicians will be hired when too many students are in difficulty. If this proves impossible (due to shortages, for example), a bonus will be paid to teachers.
I wanted to be able to do my job properly. What they tell me is: keep working too hard and everything is failing to succeed in helping students, but don’t worry, we’ll give you $4,000 at the end of the year.
Martin Verrette, remedial teacher
His disappointment, says the man with 12 years of experience, is shared by most of his colleagues.
Primary school teacher Marisa Thibault is also against this measure negotiated by her union.
“In terms of the composition of the class, this formula is nonsense,” said the teacher.
“A 60% trigger cannot be viable! said Mme Thibault. It’s ridiculous. Do you accept that only 40% of students are regular? »
In his 5th grade classe primary year, currently, 12 out of 20 students are failing.
“My average in French is 54%. I have some who don’t even have the skills of 3e year. It doesn’t make sense,” said the teacher, who would have liked to see special classes open.
She says she is “disappointed, angry, more and more ready to leave teaching quickly”.
Like the orthopedagogue Martin Verrette, she calculates that once divided between the numerous schools where members of the FAE teach, the millions put on the table by Quebec will be diluted as much as possible.
The Legault government singled out
The 66,500 FAE teachers were on strike for 22 days, without income. Marisa Thibault was in favor of the unlimited general strike, but now thinks that it should have been taken “more slowly”.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Demonstration by teachers affiliated with the FAE in the streets of Montreal on December 22
“We had confidence in our negotiators and I fear that we will never see such an important movement for public schools again,” said the teacher, who intends to vote against this agreement in principle.
“Will the agreement be accepted? Maybe, but I can tell you that on the ground, we are very disappointed,” continues M.me Thibault.
This is also the opinion of a history teacher from Montreal who preferred not to be named.
At her high school, she says, that’s all we talk about. His colleagues see the agreement as “a defeat”.
“We went to the front and we got fooled,” says the teacher, who speaks of “disillusionment”.
She nevertheless refuses to throw stones at the FAE.
“The union did what it could with the conditions the government gave it. The government wanted to play arm wrestling and I fear that the credibility of the FAE will be called into question,” said the teacher, who nevertheless believes that the union will have to be held accountable for its strategy of go on an unlimited general strike.
“Disconnected” from reality
The orthopedagogue Martin Verrette, for his part, says he is “half fig, half grape”.
“We were told that the objective was to improve the composition of the class and that this was the number one point in our negotiations, and they came to present us with something that does not correspond to that” , says Mr. Verrette, who nevertheless believes that the unlimited general strike was necessary.
He adds that if education was as important to the Legault government as he says, “it wouldn’t have lasted a month.”
The Ministry of Education is “disconnected” from the reality on the ground, he says.
We do not understand that to succeed in having an adequate class composition, we must increase the number of reception classes, special education classes, to improve the service for students in difficulty. We will be able to reinstate them later.
Martin Verrette, remedial teacher
Currently, “we oblige [les élèves] to experience failure until they drop out of school.”
From Wednesday until January 25, the unions affiliated with the FAE will hold general meetings to decide on the agreement in principle.
The union recommended the adoption of this agreement, considering that it “contains particularities which respond to the negotiating priorities identified by the members”.