The activities of schools, health and social services establishments as well as CEGEPs will be greatly disrupted on Monday, when the first day of the inter-union common front strike will be held.
The common front, which is made up of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), the Alliance of professional and technical personnel in health and social services (APTS) and the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ), represents 420,000 workers in these establishments. He will only be off work for one day at the moment.
The common front had described the new offer from Quebec, tabled a week ago, as “derisory”.
“On Monday, for us, it will be a kind of response from our members, who will come out to say it very clearly. We feel that they are eager to express themselves on this. For the moment, it is the union leaders who have done it,” said Robert Comeau, president of the APTS.
In primary and secondary schools, the walkout will take place from midnight to 10:30 a.m.
In CEGEPs, the walkout will take place from midnight to noon.
In health establishments, the form that the walkout takes will depend on the care unit, since essential services must be maintained.
In emergencies and intensive care, services will be maintained at 100%. In mental health and youth protection, services will be maintained at 70 to 85%; in laboratories, medical imaging and technical platforms, 80% of services maintained; in nutrition, rehabilitation and for psychosocial services in general, 70% of services will be maintained, explained Mr. Comeau.
Negotiations still in progress
The Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ), which represents 80,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals, will not be on strike this November 6, nor the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE), which represents 65,000 primary school teachers. and secondary.
The majority of teachers will, however, be on strike this November 6, since it is the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), which is part of the common front, which represents the largest number, i.e. 87,000.
Negotiations with the common front have been going on since the beginning of the year. The common front submitted its demands in October 2022; the Quebec government submitted its offers in December 2022.
Quebec now offers all state employees 10.3% over five years, with a lump sum of $1,000 paid once, the first year. It adds to this a sum equivalent to 3% reserved for government priorities linked to the organization of work, i.e. differentiated offers.
The common front demands a three-year contract. For the first year, he asks for $100 per week or the Consumer Price Index plus a 2% increase. For the second year, it claims the CPI plus 3% and for the third, the CPI plus 4%.
Negotiations with Quebec are not over yet. Mr. Comeau reports that last Friday, there were discussions at the tables. “We talk, but there’s nothing really… We’re in an exchange, yes, but there’s very little content that’s exchanged. »