(Quebec) New chapter in the battle of public opinion between the government and the unions. Prime Minister François Legault turns to social networks on Saturday to accuse them of “closure” in the context of negotiations for the renewal of collective agreements for state employees.
In a message posted on Facebook, he criticizes them for ignoring the three forums he created outside the traditional negotiation table in order to “discuss differently to change things” in the health and education.
For their part, the unions have blamed the government for weeks for the slowness of the talks at the table, where they say they are ready to solve the problems which afflict these two networks. They consider that the government is trying to override the normal negotiation process with its forums.
Quebec has set up three forums to discuss working conditions in three priority sectors: health, education and mental health services.
He had used the same strategy in the previous round of negotiations, without success: the unions had refused to take part in discussions outside the bargaining tables. The parties had nevertheless managed to renew the employment contracts.
This time, François Legault obviously wants his forums to work.
“The union leaders are in a logic of closure and do not want to come and discuss otherwise to change things. I could understand if the government wanted to cut salaries or working conditions for nurses and teachers. But it’s the opposite, we want to improve their conditions! “he pleads in his message.
The Prime Minister addresses the people directly in his message. “In the meantime, you are the ones waiting in the emergency room and the nurses working in difficult conditions. In the meantime, teachers are working in less than ideal conditions. If the union leaders agreed to change their attitude, to get out of their logic of closure and come and discuss with us to change things, things would go faster. […] I sincerely hope that the union leaders will quickly agree to be part of the solution”.
In his message, François Legault returns to proposals made this week by the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel. The latter wanted to present them in the discussion forums but faced with the refusal of the unions to present themselves there, she sent them by e-mail which caused discontent.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel
These proposals of $700 million over five years do not represent a new offer or an improvement to Quebec’s offer, as some have interpreted in recent days. It is rather a question of details on the nature of the improvements to the working conditions proposed by the government in its offer tabled in December.
Remember that this offer to 600,000 government employees provides for salary increases of 9% over five years, improvements in working conditions representing 2.5% and a lump sum of $1,000 for the first year.
Among the improvements specified by Sonia LeBel this week, Quebec is proposing the addition of 15,000 “class aids” to lend a hand to teachers – the network has 25,000 classes. “It could be educators” from school daycare services, “who would finally have full-time schedules for those who want them,” writes François Legault.
In the health sector, Quebec wants to make more attractive “schedules that are difficult to fill, […] Friday to Monday, evenings, nights and weekends.
“What we would like to offer nurses is that those who work evenings or weekends be better paid and that they can work less with such a high pay or with more holidays,” says François Legault. . These bonuses would be included in the calculation of retirement – unlike some current bonuses, according to Sonia LeBel.
The Prime Minister also alluded to the bill aimed at eliminating the use of private personnel agencies by 2026. He wants to convince agency nurses to return to the public sector.
But of course you have to adapt the conditions when you are short of staff at the last minute. At the same time, we understand the nurses who hold the public network at arm’s length for not wanting to lose their benefits. We have to find solutions that will be win-wins for everyone and for that, we have to discuss.
Francois Legault
Last week, François Legault said that “the biggest problem we have to solve to improve the health network is to have flexibility in collective agreements with nurses”. He mentioned adjustments to employment contracts to recognize the seniority of an agency nurse who would return to the public sector.
In order to “provide more efficient and more humane services, we first and foremost need more flexibility in collective agreements,” he reiterates in his message. “Not to reduce the benefits of nurses, on the contrary! What we want the government to do is eliminate irritants, eliminate compulsory overtime, offer schedules that allow you to have a personal life, a normal family life. »
For its part, the union common front is demanding $100 a week or the consumer price index (CPI) plus 2% for the first year of the new work contracts – whichever formula is most advantageous for the workers – the CPI plus 3% for the second year and CPI plus 4% for the third. The gap is gigantic between the parties.
The collective agreements of the 600,000 state employees will expire on March 31.