Workers Reject Wage Offer as Non-Starter
Montreal, November 6,
2023
Despite the overwhelming strike vote by all workers in education, health and social services -- both those in the Common Front and those not, the Quebec Minister responsible for Government Administration and President of the Treasury Board Sonia Lebel tabled what she called a new offer to the 600,000 workers in this sector on October 29 that would increase an earlier wage offer from 9 per cent to 10.3 per cent over five years. For more than a year, the Common Front has been calling for wage increases of around 20 per cent over three years.
"Once again, the government is demonstrating its inability to understand the difficulties faced by public services and the urgent need to save the sinking ship. What's more, it is proving that it is completely out of touch with the anger of exhausted workers who are carrying on their shoulders public services that are more fragile than ever [...] We see nothing in this offer that would justify cancelling the strike. We have to face the facts. A strike is the only way to make the government understand. Since this is what it wants, we're going to strike loud and clear on November 6," the Common Front said in a press release responding to the announcement.
The vice-president of the Quebec Interprofessional Health Care Federation (FIQ), which will go on strike on November 8 and 9, said: "We are experiencing two feelings right now: disappointment and anger."
The Autonomous Education Federation (FAE), which tabled a slimmed-down version of its demands in September, said: "We have already demonstrated our willingness to settle quickly and have done everything we can to break the deadlock in our negotiations. We are still ready to talk, but our confidence is eroding more and more and it will be difficult for our members to remain calm in the face of the current offers, which look more like offers to leave. The gap between the government's new proposal and our members' needs is still very wide." The FAE has announced that November 23 will be the first day of an unlimited general strike.
Desperate to create the illusion that these negotiations are open and serious discussions on the future of public services, Minister Lebel said in presenting the government's offer: "Today, we have submitted significant proposals to the unions that could have a very positive impact on the ongoing discussions. We mustn't forget that these negotiations must lead to gains on both sides, since this is ultimately a work contract. Yes, we need to pay government employees better, but I also have a responsibility to ensure that every dollar from taxpayers' pockets is maximized and has a long-term impact on our networks, not a temporary effect. That's why it's imperative that we address issues related to work organization."
The mention of "issues related to the organization of work" is another desperate attempt by the Quebec government to make people believe that a viable organization of work is possible that is not based on the direct experience of workers in this sector and their demands.
The Common Front states, "Despite all the signals sent to these [sectoral] tables, including the recent trimming [of its demands], our employer counterparts are responding that they have no mandate to even talk about their own demands. We are left to question the government's willingness and ability to reach satisfactory agreements in the near future.
To read the Common Front press release, click here.
This article was published in
Number 59 - November
8, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10592.HTM
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