This text is part of the special Syndicalism booklet
The economic context influences the educational context, and Montreal public schools are no exception. The President of the Alliance of Teachers of Montreal recalls that school structures in Montreal are in urgent need of attention and investment.
Actors in the school community may have had the same reaction to the tears of Bernard Drainville, Minister of Education, after the announcement, on April 20, of the shelving of the highway tunnel project between Quebec and Lévis. : if only he could be so moved by the many problems of Quebec schools…
It was at least that of Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre, president of the Alliance of professors and professors of Montreal (APPM). “I hope he will have public school as much at heart as the third link currently, she says as a wish. Because if the public school is unloved, the Montreal public school, at the moment, is downright forgotten. »
In the context of public sector negotiations with the government of François Legault, the APPM is there to remind people of the extent to which the population and school structures of Montreal urgently need attention and hard cash. “I find it hard to understand that we can talk about expenses when we talk about the education system and the health system,” says Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre. These are essential investments for the whole of society, which affect the learning conditions of children and which also involve the wage conditions of workers. »
When inflation teaches
After the pandemic and the confinements, the Montreal school community is still trying to breathe, weighed down by a major staff shortage that was already being felt long before the arrival of COVID-19. The meteoric rise in the cost of living in 2022 will once again confuse the issue and increase an already too heavy task in many circles.
“Inflation affects the entire population, recognizes Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre, but the salary of a teacher [au secteur public] is the same, no matter where he lives in Quebec. In Montreal, to the increase in the grocery basket is added that of housing, in addition to its scarcity. It’s not surprising to see people at the start of their career living with roommates, and asking themselves many questions when it comes to starting a family. »
The glaring problem of the lack of available housing in Montreal is intertwined with that of the scarcity of resources in the schools, pushing many teachers to radical changes. “Many leave the profession, laments the president of the APPM, but some mainly leave teaching in Montreal. We have on hand the resignation figures for those who held permanent positions, but what about alternates? Many professors confirm to us that they leave to teach elsewhere, but the phenomenon is difficult to document. »
Could the next negotiation with the Legault government turn the tide? In the current inflationary environment, many employers have no choice but to increase wages if they want to retain their employees. Sonia LeBel, president of the Conseil du trésor, will she lend an attentive ear? Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre displays a certain skepticism, while wanting to give the runner a chance.
“The government repeats that it would like to sign an agreement as soon as possible… but on its terms,” underlines the president with a touch of irony. However, this is not what offends him the most in this always complex dynamic between the State and its employees. “Asking us to be satisfied with the latest offers because, like the rest of the population, we benefit from tax cuts, it is very disappointing. »
For Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre, beyond salary issues, working conditions and the living environment of the students — the process of renovating schools hardly camouflages the lack of maintenance from which they have suffered for decades —, it is t is neither more nor less “the last chance negotiation for the Montreal public school”. “The labor shortage is significant, it has a direct effect on all colleagues, and obviously on students. According to the president of the APPM, a significant salary increase would probably not solve all the problems, but would send a strong signal, namely the recognition of the essential role of its members in the unique context of Montreal public schools.
For the moment, there is no question of shedding a few tears, because at the APPM, “it’s time to mobilize”, says Catherine Beauvais-St-Pierre.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.