Allow me to play “salary mediator” in the open war that the Common Front, the FAE and the FIQ are waging against the government of François Legault and his minister responsible for negotiations, Sonia LeBel, president of the Treasury Board.
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Here is my proposed “final” offer which, logically, should seal the salary aspect of the renewal of the collective agreements of the 600,000 state employees.
Drum roll: I propose a salary increase of 19.2% over 5 years.
This appears to me to be a very good compromise between the demands of the unions and the offers from the CAQ government. I remind you that the unions of public and parapublic service employees are demanding a salary increase of 21% over three years. And the Legault government is offering 16.7% over five years.
I sincerely believe that at a 19.2% increase over five years, both parties would emerge from the impasse with their heads held high. And above all, the government and the unions would give the impression of having concluded a financially and socially reasonable salary agreement in the eyes of all Quebec taxpayers.
Where does this suggestion of a “19.2%” increase over five years come from? It corresponds to the nominal GDP growth found in the recent economic outlook reported in the Economic and Budgetary Update from the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard. Nominal GDP represents the current price value of the goods and services we produce, without adjustment for inflation.
When wages follow the growth of nominal GDP, this suggests that the enrichment of employees occurs at the rate of economic growth.
With such an increase of 19.2%, the overall offer to state employees would represent a colossal sum of approximately $10.35 billion, or $1.35 billion more than the current government offer submitted this week by Minister Sonia LeBel.
- Listen to the economy segment with Michel Girard via QUB radio :
THE BRANFARONADE OF THE UNION LEADERS
I was shocked to see the reaction of union leaders to the latest pay offer to the state’s 600,000 employees.
It had barely been tabled when the Common Front and the other unions rejected it out of hand.
And pumped up thanks to the support of the population, they pushed the boasting to the point of maintaining the call of the strike, despite the government’s openness and the improvement of its offers.
That the union leaders consider the overall increase of 16.7% over five years to be insufficient is still wrong.
But from there to say that “[c]It would be a tragedy if we accepted this offer,” as Magali Picard, the head of the FTQ, declared, or from there to say that “[ç]even bordered on insult”, as mentioned by the president of the FIQ, Julie Bouchard, I would keep myself a little embarrassed.
We are talking here about a salary increase offer of 9 billion dollars. Per union member, the government offer is equivalent to an additional amount of $15,000.
There is still no reason here to pour out one’s gall against such a sum of 9 billion dollars which will necessarily be paid off by all taxpayers. A little empathy please towards the millions of taxpayers treated less well than state employees.
Especially since the vast majority of state employees can count on lifelong job security and attractive social benefits (retirement plans, leave, insurance, etc.). In these difficult times, this job security is worth gold!
Notice to union leaders: it is high time to come back to earth with more realistic salary expectations and to present a little more flexibility in the negotiation of working conditions!
I have the feeling that people are starting to get fed up with the disruption in schools, hospitals and other critical environments.
WHAT TOWER OF BABEL
In defense of François Legault and Sonia LeBel who are crucified every day in the public square by union leaders, this is the kind of bureaucratic universe in which this negotiation with state employees is taking place.
The government is faced with 103 collective agreements and 81 negotiation tables including:
– At the Ministry of Health and Social Services: 48 collective agreements and 30 negotiation tables
– At the Ministry of Education: 23 collective agreements and 20 negotiation tables
– At the Ministry of Higher Education: 10 collective agreements and 9 negotiation tables
– In the public service: 14 collective agreements and 14 negotiation tables
– At the Ministry of Family: 7 collective agreements and 7 negotiation tables
– At the Ministry of Public Security: 1 collective agreement and 1 negotiation table
And how many unions does the government have to negotiate with? With 71 unions.
THE CHERRY ON THE SUNDAE
The Government of Quebec is also responsible for 57 government agencies (state corporations), including the Caisse de dépôt et placement, Hydro-Québec, the Financial Markets Authority, Investissement Québec, the SAQ, Loto-Québec, the Quebec Revenue Agency, etc.
Do you know how many collective agreements govern these 57 organizations? There are 200. You read that right TWO HUNDRED.
In this “Tower of Babel” of negotiation in the Quebec government, let us highlight the scale of the challenge faced by the minister responsible for negotiations, Sonia LeBel, and her right-hand woman, Édith Lapointe, the associate secretary and chief negotiator of the government .
Hats off to ladies LeBel and Lapointe!