Prime Minister Legault spoke in the corridors of the National Assembly about his fear of the unions who would manage our public services according to his claims. In an alarmist tone, he asserts that if he does not obtain the desired flexibility, the future of our public services is in danger. This is rubbish!
The flexibility he seeks takes us back to the dark days of Duplessism, when the “boss” worked to break the unions and do what he wanted with state employees and private sector workers. Those times are over and the resistance of the unions is more than justified.
Mr. Legault perhaps dreams of returning to the Padlock Law. Instead, he should moderate his aversion to unions and negotiate seriously.
Listening to him speak, he would like to free employees from the yoke of their union. He does not seem to realize the exceptional mobilization of his employees in support of their demands and their rejection of the government approach.
The rejection of the worst
The public sector negotiation is taking place in parallel with two gigantic reform projects. One in health and the other in education, these leading to hyper centralization which will only worsen the dysfunction of our networks.
This reshuffling of structures does not bode well and explains the government’s desire to be able to command its employees like an army that obeys orders. This reveals the type of work organization coveted by the State while employees want solutions to the problems identified and their workload.
They are not fooled and understand that the difficulties will persist and that they will be blamed. For example, I listened to a former Minister of Health extol the need for flexibility to be able to order directives to hospital centers from the top of his chair.
He recalled that when he was in office, he reduced the waiting time in the emergency room by moving the stretchers to the floor corridors without further care and despite the reluctance of the nurses in these departments. He took the problem elsewhere and considered himself brilliant rather than stupid.
These are the kinds of solutions that the world no longer wants.
Optimism
The behavior of government negotiators does not indicate a desire to settle. One would believe that the management side is looking for pretexts to impose working conditions.
I had difficulty understanding the optimism that some political observers had about the possibility of a settlement before the holidays while the Prime Minister’s contempt for the unions continues to grow.
The organization of work has been at the heart of public sector negotiations for at least two decades without the parties being able to agree on a method that would make work more efficient and interesting.
The 2023 meeting is crucial and the union members appear more credible than the government. This is not without frightening the Quebec right with a fairer society on the horizon!