CSN, CSQ vote in favour of strike mandate
Labour federations say they are gearing up for a "hot autumn" of strike action
Quebec's two largest labour federations representing civil servants now have strike mandates in the wake of stalled negotiations with the provincial government.
The Confédération des syndicats nationaux and the Centrale des syndicats du Québec voted in favour of a strike with 85 per cent and 82 per cent respectively.
- Quebec's civil servants eye strike action
- Parents and students rally over education funding
- French-language teachers' strike gives 275,000 students day off
The two unions represent a total of 300,000 employees in the public health and education sectors. They will have six one-day rotating strike mandates across the province.
The strikes can be called at any time and could either be at a regional or province-wide level.
Stalled negotiations
The rotating strike dates will be decided on depending how negotiations go with the provincial government.
CSQ President Louise Chabot said that stalled negotiations and a lack of compromise from the government have left civil servants with few options except to strike.
"With these mandates, we have an important force in these negotiations. It is like the peak of our mobilizations, which were carried out during the spring and at the beginning of autumn," said Chabot.
Main points of contention:
- A salary freeze for two years
- A salary increase of 1 per cent per year over three years (civil servants are asking for 4.5 per cent over three years for a total of 13.5 per cent)
- Raising the age of retirement from age 60 to age 62
- Teachers have been without a contract since April
With files from la Presse Canadienne