Public sector negotiations | Legault shocks the unions by accusing them of “closing”

(Montreal and Quebec) Prime Minister François Legault provoked the wrath of the unions on Saturday by turning to social networks to accuse them of “closing” in the context of negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreements of state employees.

A new chapter is opening in the battle of public opinion between the government and the unions.

In a message posted on Facebook on Saturday morning, François Legault criticizes them for ignoring the three forums he created outside the traditional negotiating table in order to “discuss differently to change things” in the health and healthcare networks. education.

“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.

For their part, the unions for weeks blame the government for the slowness of the talks at the table, where, they say, they are ready to solve the problems plaguing these two networks. They feel that with its forums, the government is trying to circumvent the normal negotiation process.

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 during 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.

Union representatives shocked

The four union representatives in the process of negotiations with the government said they were angry and exasperated by the Prime Minister’s exit.

“It’s been three times that we have said no to the government for the forums. We would like that, to be understood, we too, launches Éric Gingras, president of the Central Trade Unions of Quebec (CSQ). Just because the government came up with this idea doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea, he adds. If we want to have big discussions on the public networks, we can do it outside of the negotiation, before or after. »

” I believe [qu’au gouvernement], they would need a 101 negotiation course, adds François Enault, first vice-president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN). Negotiations in Quebec are governed by laws. The Labor Code was made so that people could negotiate as equals. »

According to the various union representatives, the forums allow the government to choose and control the topics discussed, while avoiding the laws that govern the negotiations.

It is wrong to say that the unions are closed to solutions to improve the public network, is indignant for her part Magali Picard, president of the Federation of Workers of Quebec (FTQ). “We are even more than open: we have some, proposals [sur la table] which will completely change practices, both in the school network and in the health network, if they are accepted! “, she argues. She invites the government to stop its “media show” which depicts “bad unions” and to come and sit down at the negotiating table.

On the side of the union of the Alliance of professional and technical personnel of health and social services (APTS), president Robert Comeau is exasperated. “The 65,000 members we represent gave themselves body and soul during the pandemic,” he recalls. These people are expecting us, the management and union parties, to come up with solutions. And the place to talk about it is at the negotiation tables. It is a must. »

Negotiate in the public square

In his message, François Legault returns to proposals made in recent days 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 aroused discontent.

These proposals of 700 million in five years do not constitute a new offer or an improved offer from Quebec, as some have estimated in recent days. Rather, it is clarification on the nature of the improvements to working conditions proposed by the government in its offer tabled in December.

Remember that this offer to the 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 the first year, well below the union demands.

Among the improvements specified by Sonia LeBel, Quebec proposes 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, […] from Friday to Monday, evenings, nights and weekends,” added the Prime Minister. He also alludes to the bill aiming to eliminate the use of private personnel agencies by 2026, by wanting to convince the nurses of the agencies to return to the public sector.

Improving working conditions and services requires “more flexibility in collective agreements”, reiterates François Legault on Facebook.

Collective agreements for state employees will expire on March 31.