Discontent is growing against the agreement in principle concluded between the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) and Quebec: two other affiliated unions rejected it late Thursday evening.
Gathered in a virtual general assembly, the teachers of the Quebec Region Education Union (SERQ) voted 60% against. This union represents approximately 9,000 teachers from school service centers in the Capital and Premières-Seigneuries, and approximately 3,700 of them were present at the time of the vote.
The members of the Lordships Education Union (SES), also meeting Thursday evening, voted 58% against the agreement a little earlier in the evening.
The SES represents approximately 900 secondary, vocational training and adult education teachers at the Trois-Lacs School Service Center, in Montérégie.
- Listen to the press review commented by Alexandre Dubé via QUB:
Four for, four against
The fate that will be reserved for this agreement, concluded at the end of December after more than 20 days of strike, seems increasingly difficult to predict, since until now, four unions have approved the agreement, while four others have ‘rejected.
To be ratified, the agreement in principle must be accepted by a majority of unions affiliated with the FAE – which has nine – and by a majority of the members it represents.
It is the teachers of one last local union of the FAE, that of Haute-Yamaska in Montérégie, who will have the last word during their general assembly scheduled for January 31.
If the agreement is rejected by a majority of members, however, teachers will not necessarily return to an indefinite general strike. The FAE will have to start from scratch, by consulting its teachers again on a new strategy and possible pressure tactics in order to return to the negotiating table.
Teachers torn
The very close results so far demonstrate the extent to which this agreement reached at the end of December, after more than 20 days of strike, divides teachers.
On the salary front, the proposed regulation provides for average salary increases of 21.5%, but it is above all the provisions surrounding the “composition of the class”, at the heart of the union demands, which disappoint several teachers.
The votes of the unions affiliated with the FAE regarding the agreement in principle:
FOR
Pointe-de-l’Île Education Union
CSS de la Pointe-de-l’Île
5300 members
Result: for 59%
Alliance of Montreal Teachers
Montreal CSS
14,000 members
Result: for 54%
Outaouais Education Union
CSS des Portages-de-l’Outaouais, des Draveurs and Cœur-des-Vallées
6600 members
Result: for 58%
West Montreal Teachers Union
CSS Marguerite-Bourgeoys
8000 members
Result: for 51%
AGAINST
Laval region education union
Laval CSS
8000 members
Result: against 68%
Basses-Laurentides Education Union
Thousand Islands CSS
7900 members
Result: against 72%
Lordships Education Union
CSS des Trois-Lacs
900 members
Result: against 58%
Quebec Region Education Union
CSS of the Capital and the First Lordships
9000 members
Result: against 60%
The Autonomous Education Federation brings together nine affiliated unions.
Members of the Haute-Yamaska Education Union, in Montérégie, will vote on January 31.