(Québec) Contrairement à ce qu’a dit François Legault, c’est « jovialiste pour ne pas dire complètement irréaliste » d’envisager un retour en classe lundi, soutient la présidente de la FAE, Mélanie Hubert, tout en admettant que « le gouvernement a fait des pas » pour en arriver à un règlement.
La cheffe syndicale se demande si, dans les faits, le premier ministre a plutôt l’intention de recourir à une loi spéciale pour forcer le retour au travail des 66 000 enseignants de la FAE en grève depuis le 23 novembre.
« Je ne vous cacherai pas que la déclaration de M. Legault [mercredi] when we know that things at the tables aren’t going that well, we wondered what the real intention was. Because the only way we saw a return to class on Monday was if there was a special law. Because we didn’t see how, through negotiation, we would get there,” she said at a press conference in Quebec on Thursday.
According to her, considering a return to class on Monday “is jovial, if not completely unrealistic and disconnected from what has been happening at the table since Monday”. Because “there is not yet enough text put together to get there”.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Melanie Hubert
She accused the government of playing “yo-yo” with teachers, bringing proposals to the table one day only to withdraw them the next. We have not reached “a cruising speed” in the talks to hope for a rapid settlement, she lamented. Mr. Legault’s comments “angry” the teachers, who “do not intend to return” to work even in the absence of strike funds.
Mélanie Hubert specified that if a settlement hypothesis appears at the table, the FAE will have to convene its federative negotiating council to determine whether there is indeed an agreement in principle. If so, the strike would be called off. But a “return to work protocol” would need to be negotiated. And it is possible that students will not be in class immediately. Teachers’ first day of work could be used to prepare for students’ return, she explained.
While Mme Hubert was at a press conference, the president of the Treasury Board Sonia LeBel said she was surprised by the union leader’s comments. “We are extremely surprised by the FAE’s comments at this stage and we are convinced that an agreement is within reach with the significant progress that is on the table for teachers and students,” she said. written on social networks.
Questioned about this outing, Mélanie Hubert made more nuanced remarks. “Days like [mercredi], indeed, bring us towards a settlement. Fast ? I do not know. But certainly, we were on the right side. It must continue in this direction. It is true that the government has taken steps. We did that too. […] I agree with M.me Lebel: there were interesting proposals on the table, but we must stop the roller coaster and continue to work on each subject and not go backwards from one day to the next, one day works, one day it doesn’t work not. »
Two issues are in dispute: the composition of the class and the salary scales.