Thousands of Quebec public sector workers will gather in Montreal on Saturday to “show their anger to François Legault’s government in the face of the insulting offers tabled by the Treasury Board,” according to the Common Front union group.
Tens of thousands of workers are expected to increase pressure on the CAQ government in the face of the “slowness of the negotiations carried out by the government,” indicates the press release for the event.
The Common Front brings together 420,000 workers in education, health and social services and higher education, from the CSN, CSQ, FTQ and APTS unions.
Workers are demanding concrete improvements in their working conditions, salary catch-up and protection against inflation. “The government is only offering 9% over five years in salary increases,” writes the Common Front ahead of the event. What is on the table is not even a serious basis for negotiation. »
An increase all the more frustrating since the CAQ government voted for a 30% increase in the salaries of deputies, recalls the union group.
The gathering takes place at Jeanne-Mance Park, on Plateau Mont-Royal, at 1 p.m. The Common Front is launching an appeal to the population who wish to join the workers and take the streets “with those who hold public services at arm’s length in education, health and social services and higher education”.
“We care about our public services”
“We want people to take to the streets with us on the 23rd in Montreal to demonstrate to the government that we care about our public services. And to have good public services, you need people who are well paid, well treated, with good working conditions,” explained in an interview with The Canadian Press Robert Comeau, president of the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel of health and social services (APTS).
“We think that with this monster demonstration, where there will be tens of thousands of people for us, it will be a determining moment in this negotiation,” added Mr. Comeau.
Negotiations between the government of Quebec and the Common Front have been going on for several months already. The Common Front had submitted its demands in the fall of 2022; Quebec submitted its offers in December.
Quebec offers raises of 9% over five years to state employees, plus a lump sum of $1,000 the first year. To this, he adds a sum equivalent to 2.5% reserved for “government priorities”, which means that he presents his offer as worth 13% over five years.
The Common Front is instead demanding a three-year contract, with $100 per week for the first year or the Consumer Price Index plus 2% – whichever formula would be most advantageous for workers – then the CPI plus 3% in the second year and the CPI plus 4% in the third year.
Kickoff of fall
This demonstration, “it’s going to be the kick-off to the fall we’re going to have,” François Énault, vice-president of the CSN, responsible for public sector negotiations, told La Presse Canadienne. .
Member unions of the Common Front began holding strike votes last Monday. Assemblies must be held until mid-October within the FTQ, CSQ, APTS and CSN unions. The mandate requested is one of unlimited general strike, which would be preceded by isolated or grouped strike days.
The march will end in the Quartier des spectacles.
With The Canadian Press