Strike Days in the Coming Weeks
Three more strike days have been announced for November 21, 22 and 23 for workers belonging to the Common Front. The 80,000 members of the Interprofessional Federation of Quebec Health Care (FIQ) will go on strike on November 8 and 9, and then again on November 23 and 24, while the 66,5000 teachers of the Autonomous Federation of Teachers (FAE) will begin a general strike on November 23.
In the health care sector, services will be provided in accordance with the law on essential services. As for the education sector, Quebec's school service centres have advised parents that classes and daycare services will resume as early as 11:00 am or in the afternoon.
The Interprofessional Health Care Federation of Quebec (FIQ) has notified the government and informed the public that it also has a mandate for an unlimited general strike following the November 7 and 8 walkouts it has already called.
Since October and November 2022 -- a year ago -- these workers' organizations have been putting their demands to the Legault government, offering their time and energy to achieve a new work contract that takes into account their responsibilities to the public. For the past year, they have been exerting pressure through various tactics to make known to the government their determination to improve their working conditions, which are the conditions for the care and services they provide to everyone.
It's clear that public sector workers and the public are one and the same when it comes to who must be at the heart of decision-making in health, education and social services, so that the necessary quality and quantity of care is available. It's this unity that strikes at the arrogance of the Legault government, which declared on October 17, "The unions still think they have to go on strike to make sure they make the most gains. So we'll wait for the strike ...."
The Common Front responded: "Is the government telling us that it has refused to come to the table for a year, while it persists with its disconnected offers, with its attacks on our working conditions and with its arrogance, because it's waiting for a strike? If our message is not heard, a second option could be exercised, which would constitute the biggest strike action the public sector has seen in 50 years."
Together in Defence of Public Services!
With One Voice Supporting Workers in Health, Education and
Social
Services!
(Quotations translated from original French by Workers' Forum.)
This article was published in
Number 59
- November
8, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10594.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca