(Montreal) Authorities from the various unions that make up the common front of the public sector will begin meeting on Wednesday to study the proposed agreement in principle that was reached on December 28 regarding the renewal of collective agreements.
For the moment, these are intermediary bodies of the unions affiliated with the large organizations concerned – CSN, CSQ, APTS and FTQ – and not general assemblies of members. Workers’ assemblies should follow starting in mid-January, since it is the members who must ultimately decide.
For example, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which is affiliated with the FTQ, will meet its body on Wednesday to study the proposed agreement.
The Quebec Union of Service Employees (SQEES), affiliated with the FTQ, will meet its local executive committees on Thursday.
The Federation of Health and Social Services (FSSS), affiliated with the CSN, will meet its bodies on Thursday and Friday.
The other unions will do the same over the coming days.
The content of the proposed regulation has not been filtered, except for the duration of the possible contract, i.e. five years, from 2023 to 2028. The collective agreements expired on March 31, 2023.
This discretion regarding the content of the settlement hypothesis is usual, the unions keeping the news for their members when they are entitled at the same time to explanations and details, when holding general meetings to vote.
The common front has always refused to publicly quantify its demands. It had essentially asked for protection of the purchasing power of its members, in the form of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), plus an increase in variable percentages depending on the year, in order to “obtain a certain catch-up general wages”.
“And this is what guided us throughout this negotiation blitz to reach a proposed agreement,” said the CSN, the CSQ, the APTS and the FTQ when the proposal was concluded. agreement in principle, December 28.
The Treasury Board, for its part, then affirmed that “this important proposed agreement, lasting five years (2023-2028), takes into account the improvement in the working conditions of state employees and the organization of work through greater flexibility in collective agreements.
The FIQ and the FAE
As for the Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ), which represents 80,000 nurses, practical nurses, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists, the news is less encouraging for the moment.
The FIQ has not yet concluded a settlement proposal. However, she requested and obtained, on December 19, the appointment of a conciliator from the Ministry of Labor.
This then entered the scene. And he asked the parties to refrain from making public statements until January 15, to reduce pressure and focus on discussions at the table. This intensive negotiation is still continuing today.
In this context, the FIQ will not hold any other strike days between now and January 15.
As for the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE), in a message sent to its members on Monday, the president, Mélanie Hubert, indicated that they will have the opportunity to decide on the agreement in principle which is recommended to them “in the coming weeks”, when general meetings are held.