Public Sector Workers Remain Determined to Win Working Conditions That Meet Peoples' Needs
The employment contracts of nearly 600,000 public sector employees expired on March 31, 2023. As early as autumn 2022 these employees presented their demands to the government for working conditions and wages acceptable to themselves for the care they provide to the population. One year later, after the use of various pressure tactics up to and including strike action, and with massive public support for their demands, it is clear that the government's desire is to exercise virtually total control over all decisions made in these sectors, and that to do so, it must eliminate the limits contained in the employment contracts. In addition to being profoundly anti-worker, this government policy will only intensify an already untenable crisis in health and education. Workers in this sector are courageously continuing their struggle and regularly informing the public about what is happening at the bargaining tables. It should be remembered that the Common Front and the Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) are in their third round of strike days, ending on December 14, while the Autonomous Teachers' Federation (FAE) has been on an unlimited strike since November 23.
The Common Front, representing more than 420,000 employees in health care, primary, secondary and college education and social programs, said on December 10:
"The government's mantra about flexibility and agility poorly conceals a desire to further control the work of the network's exhausted staff.
"After more than a year of negotiations, and at a time when the network has been hit by one of the biggest crises in its history, the union organizations are astonished that the government is still proposing concessions at the sectoral tables. Its intention in reviewing local matters is to be able to move staff around several departments and sites, and to impose multi-shift schedules. Yet what network workers and the public want is more stability in the services offered.
"Currently, staff are leaving the network through every door and window. By attacking the little stability that remains in working conditions, the government is stepping on the gas pedal and driving into the wall. We need to do just the opposite. We need to improve working conditions for all job titles in the network, starting now. By staging a third round of strikes across Quebec this weekend, network workers are showing that they are determined to improve their working conditions and fight for better services for the public.
"Added to this is the fact that the government, in the middle of negotiations, has put an end to the double overtime rate for all staff, which was an important staff retention measure. Since the start of sectoral negotiations, the government has been proposing temporary measures and measures that apply to only a few job titles, which is far from enough to convince staff to stay in the network and to attract the next generation.
"Minister Dubé and Premier Legault should spend less time taking cheap shots at the unions and more time giving mandates to improve working conditions at the sectoral tables. It's not the unions' fault that many job titles are understaffed, or that the workforce is stretched to the limit. The striking workers expect more from the government."
The FAE which represents 66,500 teachers pointed out on December 11 that:
"From the outset of these negotiations, the Federation has clearly stated teachers' priorities: improved class composition, lighter workloads and greater professional autonomy. If François Legault's government truly cares about public schools, it must do everything in its power, starting now, to respond to the many pressing needs of teachers. Yet, after 11 months of negotiations, more than 80 meetings and 13 days of strike action, we wonder whether the government is taking the situation seriously, when half a million students are not in class every day. We are collectively wasting precious time. The FAE is willing to give negotiations another chance, but the mandates of the employer representatives at the tables must lead to concrete improvements in teaching and learning conditions in the classroom, on a daily basis."
In its verbal submission on December 4, the government made it clear to the FAE that openness on assignments was essential to break the deadlock at the bargaining tables. This is why, last Wednesday, the FAE met with its governing body, the Conseil fédératif de négociation, to draw up new mandates concerning these assignments. Following discussions between the delegations, a union counter-offer proposing various terms on assignments was adopted on Wednesday and tabled with management on Thursday morning.
However, over the weekend, rather than responding to the union proposals as expected, management instead invited the FAE to make other moves and seek new mandates from its governing bodies. This attitude contrasts sharply with the promises made publicly on November 23.
The FIQ, which represents 80,000 health care workers, is currently in its third round of strike days. On December 11, it published the following commentary:
"To discuss something as simple as parking for care professionals who require a vehicle, it took the government negotiating team 48 hours to get back to us. One cannot say they're making negotiations a priority when it takes that long for something so simple. François Legault and Sonia LeBel may say that negotiations are a priority, but things aren't moving fast enough at the table. They need to give their negotiators real mandates. While discussions have accelerated in recent days and some progress has been made, not enough has been made on issues that are essential for care professionals. Workload and work-life balance are priorities that must be taken seriously by the government.
"While the government insists on putting salaries on the public agenda, the FIQ would like to point out that the heart of the dispute also stems from abysmal working conditions in the health care network.
"Obviously, money is important. Care professionals must be paid what they're worth, in line with their expertise, and we'll never accept a cut-rate deal. But there's more to it than pay, there's also working conditions. We have to stop exhausting care professionals to the point where they're left with only two choices: burnout or resignation. This way of doing things is getting us nowhere.
"There is no doubt that a large part of the population understands that the struggle waged by nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists is also a struggle to improve the quality and safety of care offered to Quebec patients.
The same day, the widescale support that the public sector workers have amongst the population was confirmed when the Steelworkers' union, a member of the Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), announced a donation of $100,000 in the form of grocery gift cards for striking public sector workers, given their lack of income and even minimum strike pay.
"The workers, the vast majority of whom are women, who deliver the public services, who look after our young people, our children, our seniors and the population as a whole, are currently fighting an important battle for decent working conditions. In these times of galloping inflation, these workers refuse to be impoverished and demand respect from their employers. Like most of Quebec's population, our members stand shoulder to shoulder with them. It's important for us to support them."
Donations are being distributed via Steelworkers' regional offices across Quebec, directly on picket lines and through organizations.
"We know that the battles of some people reflect on others. A
strike
represents a major sacrifice. These donations don't begin to
replace a
salary, but we hope to give a little respite to the families
most
affected, so that the strikers get a settlement with their heads
held
high. When one of us
is affected, the whole Steelworker family is there to respond.
Public
sector workers include our sisters, daughters, mothers,
boyfriends,
girlfriends, children and friends. The Steelworkers are there
for them!"
(Quotations translated from French original by Workers' Forum.)
This article was published in
Number 61 - December 15, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10612.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca