The common front of the public sector reveals Monday that, according to an SOM survey, more than half of Quebecers are of the opinion that the salary increases of 9% over five years offered by the government are not enough.
The vast majority of respondents, 87%, even affirm that it is necessary for the Quebec government to improve the working conditions of its employees.
Almost as many think that salaries should at least be indexed to the cost of living. Three-quarters believe that public sector salaries should be equivalent to those in the private sector.
Few Quebecers (30%) believe that the government manages negotiations well with the unions that represent its employees.
Beyond salary, three quarters of those surveyed emphasize that better remuneration of public sector employees would have a positive impact on the quality of services.
“These results confirm what we feel when we talk to people, namely that Quebecers value their public services and are well aware that working conditions leave something to be desired,” maintain the representatives of the Common Front in a press release. , François Enault, first vice-president of the CSN, Éric Gingras, president of the CSQ, Magali Picard, president of the FTQ, and Robert Comeau, president of the APTS.
The common front is currently asking its 420,000 members for an unlimited general strike mandate. Votes are taking place this week.
The collective agreements expired on March 31. The union demands were submitted in the fall of 2022 and Quebec submitted its offers in December 2022.
Quebec offers all state employees a 9% increase over five years, plus a lump sum of $1,000 for the first year of the employment contract. He also wants to devote the equivalent of 2.5% to “government priorities”, which means that he presents his offer as equivalent to 13% over five years.
The common front, for its part, demands $100 per week or the equivalent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 2% for the first year — depending on the formula that would be most advantageous for the worker — then the CPI plus 3% for the second year, then the CPI plus 4% for the third year.
According to the survey, 56% of Quebecers believe that the unions’ salary demands are not exaggerated. Nevertheless, 38% find them generous, even very generous for half of them.
The survey was conducted at the end of July among 1,089 respondents online.