This text is part of the special section Unionism
The representatives of the four Common Front unions, Magali Picard of the FTQ, Robert Comeau of the APTS, François Enault of the CSN and Éric Gingras of the CSQ, are fiercely negotiating the new collective agreements for some 420,000 state employees, who count on them to raise the level of public services to meet citizens’ expectations. Their main focus: making jobs attractive again to retain those already in position and attract new people.
The week was marked by days of strike by public sector employees, in full negotiation with the government for better salaries and better working conditions. School, hospital, social staff, hundreds of thousands of workers represented by the Common Front unions (CSQ, FTQ, APTS, CSN) voted overwhelmingly for the general strike after learning of the response to their demands made by Quebec. A rate of 95%, commensurate with the anger that invaded their ranks.
“Quebec state workers have nothing left to lose,” says Magali Picard, president of the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ) and representative of her union in these negotiations. The malaise has in fact spread to public sector workers, whose departures are increasing in number. Tens of thousands over recent years, according to Mme Picard, and not necessarily compensated by the new arrivals in office. “Depending on the sectors, we can go up to 15, 20, 30, even 40% of vacant positions,” adds the president of the Alliance of Professional and Technical Personnel in Health and Social Services (APTS), Robert Comeau. .
The war of supply and demand
The crux of the matter is of course salary. The unions are demanding an increase of around 21%, spread over five years, as well as protection against inflation. To which the government responded with an offer of 10.3% which stuck in the throats of union negotiators. An “insult”, in the words of Magali Picard.
And the president of the Confederation of National Unions (CSN), François Enault, added: “I also work with the Steelworkers and for their part, we have increases of 10, 15, 20% in the first year alone. » Moreover, representatives of the Steelworkers themselves declared in the media that they would not accept a 10.3% increase over five years, as did Unifor, which represents workers in the private sector.
A 21% increase had already been granted to the Sûreté du Québec last September. The Common Front unions therefore do not understand why public sector employees could not obtain the same thing. “The only difference between the two groups is the majority of women,” explains Magali Picard. So the question of sexism arises. » Far from affirming that this is the reason, trade unionists are nevertheless doubtful about the difference in treatment between the two categories of state workers. “If that’s the case, it’s scandalous. If this is not the case, let the government prove it,” thunders the negotiator. “We notice that we have less and less money for jobs with a majority of women,” explains Mr. Comeau. But for predominantly male jobs, yes. »
The salary increase offer went down all the less well since, in the meantime, the Legault government has caused a lot of ink to flow by putting 7 million in public money on the table to bring hockey players from the Los Angeles Kings. Undue anger, according to François Legault, who declared on Radio-Canada at the end of last week that we must compare what is comparable: “If we accepted the demands of the unions, it would cost $3.7 billion. Taxpayers’ ability to pay is limited. There is no question of increasing taxes. When we talk about 5 to 7 million […], we are not talking about the same amounts. »
“The problem with the subsidy to bring the Kings to play in Quebec is not so much about the amount, but about the symbol, about the political choice that was made,” explains Éric Gingras, president of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec ( CSQ). One week, they will say that we have to tighten our belts and that we cannot revise budgets upwards, and after that, they tell us that. We are not against the idea of having hockey, but it is a political choice where we do not call into question the taxpayers’ ability to pay. But when it comes to paying men and women who work in the public sector, that is called into question. »
For the record, the average salary noted by the unions for 2019-2020 in the health, education and social services sectors was $43,916. A figure higher than the minimum wage, but not yet sufficient, according to the Common Front.
Profit trickle down
“The problem,” analyzes Mr. Gingras, “is that people are leaving the public service network to go elsewhere and earn more. The Prime Minister said that Quebec needed good salaries to compete with Ontario. However, good salaries in public services not only have an impact on the people who receive them, but they also allow us to have enough people to provide services to the population who have a lower salary. Thus, they will not have to pay privately to have a psychologist, a psychoeducator or a speech therapist. » And Mr. Enault added: “We must give more to keep our workforce. It seems that the Quebec government is the only employer not to have understood this. »
The minister and president of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, responsible for these negotiations on the government side, hopes to find an agreement before the holiday season and the Common Front as well, but not at any price. Even if the union representatives say they are open to compromise, they intend to stick to part of their positions, as the head of the CSQ explains: “Two things are not negotiable: salaries are barely a basis negotiation when we are talking about a 10.3% increase. We are around 8% short of purchasing power protection. Then there are pensions. The attempt to impoverish our retired colleagues by seeking to make cuts in a pension plan that is doing well is unacceptable. »
As the second sequence of strikes of the fall ends on the Common Front side, it is now time to return to the negotiating table. Hoping that Mathieu LeBrun, the conciliator appointed by the government on Monday, at the request of the Common Front, will have enough leadership to avoid an unlimited general strike in December.
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