Negotiations remain deadlocked for nurses, teachers in Quebec

Negotiations between the Quebec government and workers in the public sector have reached an impasse.

Negotiations between the Quebec government and workers in the public sector have reached an impasse, with the 420,000-member Common Front confirming that it will go on an unlimited strike in early 2024 unless an agreement is reached.

Union leaders would not announce an exact start date for the unlimited strike at a press conference held Wednesday morning, choosing instead to reiterate their desire to come to an agreement with the government -- even though they have a 95 per cent mandate to strike.

However, they did criticize the government for negotiating its own needs and not analyzing the problems as a whole to find solutions together.

This comes as the Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ) teachers' union describes the government's latest offer as a "sham."

The Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) has yet to publicly respond to the government as its 66,000 members enter their fourth week of an unlimited strike.

Meanwhile, the Fédération Interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) nurses' union has asked for a conciliator in its file, saying negotiations have stalled after 75 sessions.

The Common Front, which is made up of the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN), Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS) and Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ), had already warned that its latest strike sequence, from Dec. 8 to 14, would be the last before an unlimited strike.