Quebec Unions Poised to Strike Over Disputed Government Labour Contract

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Top trade union leaders from Quebec remain steadfast in their strike threat following the dismissal of the most recent labour contract offered by the provincial government.

An estimated 430,000 workers bound by their union membership across three public sector federations have aligned their forces amidst ongoing labour contract discussions. A consensus among the members formalized their intent to convene a one-day strike on November 6th, a move that may well serve as the precursor to more extensive measures.


Earlier in the day, Quebec’s Treasury Board chair, Sonia LeBel, disseminated a press release detailing the government’s offer. It proposed salary increments amounting to 14.8 per cent, spread over five years. While LeBel articulated her wish to reach an agreement by year’s end, union representatives made it clear that unless the government ups its offer, a resolution is unlikely.

Francois Enault, the Confederation des syndicats nationaux’s first vice-president, emphasized that the government’s recent proposition falls 11 per cent lower than what was initially presented to the Surete du Quebec, only to be turned down. The offer is further marred by its comparison with the province legislature members’ auto-approved salary hike of 30 per cent earlier this year.

Breaking down the proposed 14.8 per cent salary increment, the categorization includes base salary enhancements alongside bonuses and other incentives. The government has hiked the foundational salary increase to a total of 10.3 per cent, juxtaposed against the original proposal of 9 per cent.

An additional hike, of a mere 3 per cent hinged on “work organization challenges”, has also been offered by the government. Purpose-driven, this initiative is slated to stimulate recruitments particularly in high schools and healthcare centres catering to evening-shift coverage.

A token one-time payment of $1,000 for all employees during the first year under the new labour agreement also forms part of the contract. Culminating to the equivalent of a 1.5 per cent bump in the salary, new hires and workers with annual earnings below $52,000 stand to gain an additional 1 per cent bonus.

LeBel, labeling the proposal as “significant”, reiterated in her press release that both parties need to discover benefits in the negotiation. “Yes, we need to pay public employees better, but I also have the responsibility to ensure each dollar from taxpayers’ pockets is maximized,” she stipulated. The overarching goal, LeBel reminded, is to maximize value from taxpayers’ hard-earned money.