'Our people are ready': General strike possible in Quebec health, education, social services
CTV
Thousands of public-sector workers carried turquoise flags Saturday afternoon through downtown Montreal. The workers, representing a collaboration of several unions, say they’re ready to launch general strike unless the Quebec government can give them a “respectable” offer.
Thousands of public-sector workers carried turquoise flags Saturday afternoon through downtown Montreal. The workers, representing a collaboration of several unions, say they’re ready to launch general strike unless the Quebec government can give them a “respectable” offer.
The march took place while unions across the province negotiate new collective agreements with the Quebec government.
Presidents of the four major unions that form the common front, the CSQ, the FTQ, the APTS and the CSN, spoke to the media ahead of the march, while dozens of yellow buses unloaded demonstrators near Jeanne-Mance Park.
About 420,000 public-sector workers make up the common-front. They primarily work in health, social services, education and higher education.
“People are angry,” said François Enault, vice-president of the CSN, referring to Quebec's proposal to increase the salaries of public sector workers by 9 per cent over five years. He says that’s just not enough.
“We were called guardian angels throughout the pandemic. When it's time to pay for good working conditions, they no longer listen to us,” said CSQ president Éric Gingras.
Union leaders say they’re ready to launch a general strike if the government doesn’t offer more.
