After submitting a counter-offer to the government last Saturday, the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) is staying the course and will continue its indefinite general strike at the start of the week. For its part, the office of the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, claims to be working to reach an agreement as quickly as possible, but reiterates its request for concessions on the organization of work.
“You are probably leading the most difficult fight of your entire career,” recognizes the president of the FAE, Mélanie Hubert, in a message addressed to its members and broadcast on the union’s Facebook page, Sunday afternoon.
“The mobilization is working. What you have done since November 23 has borne fruit,” says M.me Hubert. The Quebec government made its latest offer to the union last Tuesday. On Friday, the FAE announced that despite progress, it was maintaining its walkout. The two parties continued negotiations throughout the weekend, without reaching an agreement for the moment.
The union, which represents some 66,500 teachers, nevertheless reports progress with regard to the supervision of recess and students needing reception services and support for learning French.
The president of the FAE also notes progress in the negotiations regarding the composition of the classes. “The government finally understood that it was a priority and essential,” she said, adding that she wanted “a more concrete mechanism” to ensure that teachers could have the difficulties present in their groups recognized more easily and systematically.
The unlimited general strike led by the FAE will continue from Monday “so that we can continue to work on our class composition model, to work on our salary scales, to work for your autonomy too”, specifies Mélanie Hubert . She deplores that “there is still no opening to do our personal work at the place of our choice”, even if such a measure “costs nothing”.
“We proposed a counter-offer to the government, so your job, from tomorrow, is to resume mobilization with the same energy as last week,” said Mme Hubert to his members. “You are the best leverage for the negotiating committee. »
As for the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel’s office confirmed Sunday evening that negotiations are continuing “continuously.” “We are working very hard to resolve this as quickly as possible. We are aware of the impact of the strike on children, parents and teachers,” indicates Marylène Le Houillier, press secretary to Minister LeBel, in a written response. “However, it is imperative that we obtain gains in terms of work organization in order to improve services to the population,” she adds.