No settlement in sight between Quebec and public sector workers

Dozens of closed-door negotiating sessions over the last few months have failed to yield an agreement between the Quebec government and its public service workers, with both sides still worlds apart. 

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The Liberal government started by offering the workers a three per cent raise over five years, in the form of a two-year wage freeze followed by three years of one per cent raises.

The offer sought to delay workers' retirement to 62 years of age and make retirement income calculable based on an employee's eight best years of income, rather than the current five. It would also increase the penalty for taking early retirement from four to 7.2 per cent. 

The public service workers are seeking a 13.5 per cent increase over three years.

The unions have said the government offer represents a wage cut, as the cost of living is expected to rise by 10 per cent over the next five years. Therefore, they have said, a three per cent raise over that period would leave members with seven per cent less buying power in real terms. 

Bigger classes among proposals to teachers

The government's proposals to teacher included:

• Increasing teacher-student ratios in Grades 4, 5, 6 and in high school.
• Decreasing funding for special-needs students by counting each as one child, rather than two or three.
• Cutting 800 resource-teacher and special-education teacher jobs.
• Reducing employee pension plans.
• Increasing the work week from 32 hours to 40 hours.

Nurses seek end to forced overtime

Quebec nurses are also asking for a 13.5 per cent raise over three years, as well as a better ratio between nurses and patients. They're seeking less forced overtime, bonuses for working nights and evenings and improved job safety.

The La Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québe (FIQ ), which represents 66,000 nurses and other health care professionals, reported last week that 79 per cent of its members voted to strike.

"We are still far from an agreement. We will use all necessary methods to pressure the government to force it to listen to us," FIQ said in a news release last week.  

Over half a million people are employed in Quebec's public service, with almost half of that total employed in the health care system,185,000 in schools, 80,000 in the civil service and about 35,000 in CEGEPs. 

After months of negotiations, few details have emerged about any progress in the talks.

One union leader indicated that the government seems intent on sticking to its salary offer, even as private-sector employers are offering cost-of-living increases.

"The government has not budged an inch from its 0-0-1-1-1 proposal, which is a 3 per cent raise over five years, while the Conseil du patronat is giving 2.6 per cent in 2016 to allow its employees maintain their purchasing power," said Jacques Létourneau, the president of the CSN (Confederation of National Trade Unions.)