Students stay home as Quebec teacher strike continues

Eight-year-old Antonin Moreau has become a staple at a shoe repair shop in Gatineau since his teachers went on strike last month.

His dad Philippe Moreau Latreille owns Chez Gerry Cordonnerie and said bringing his son to work was the only option to keep his business running during the strike.

"He greeted one of my clients and she was very, very satisfied. She even tipped him so it was very nice, it was very fun," Moreau Latreille said.

Teachers across Quebec with the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) have been on an indefinite strike since Nov. 23.

Last Friday, they were again joined by members of unions affiliated with the Front commun.

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That means about 1.2 million Quebec students are now at home due school closures, leaving parents and guardians like Moreau Latreille struggling to balance responsibilities at work and home.

"Throughout the day we balance it out with his mom so he's not always at the shop, so it's a good deal," Moreau Latreille said. "It takes a village for sure."

Gatineau offers employees options

Julianne Ableson, who teaches Grade 1 at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School in Gatineau's Hull sector, spent Tuesday morning on the picket line with her two children, ages seven and 10.

"They know that we're just looking to make things in the classroom better for them and bring home hopefully a bit more money," Ableson said.

"So they're willing to dress up and suit up and come into the cold with us to support us."

The City of Gatineau said it has put special measures in place to allow its employees to "meet their family child-care obligations due to the closure of schools and/or daycares."

It's offering five options that include telecommuting, flexible work hours, and full or partial unpaid leave. In a written statement, a spokesperson said those options can also be combined as required on a case-by-case basis.

Looking to the future

The Front commun strike, which Ableson is part of, is expected to last until midnight when Dec. 14 turns into Dec. 15. 

Its end would mean a return to class for two of western Quwbec five school boards and service centres: the Western Québec School Board and the Centre de services scolaire des Hauts Bois de l'Outaouais. 

Those union leaders say if no agreement is reached a general unlimited strike could be on the horizon.

Because of which unions staff belong to, the three other service centres will remain on the indefinite strike.

Among what workers in the health-care and social services sectors are asking for are more time off and higher compensation rates for overtime.

Stéphane Bisson, president of the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce, said while his organization is monitoring the situation closely, most members have already built in more flexibility around accommodating child care thanks to the pandemic.

He said most customers are also more understanding.

"I think that the population in general are quite patient and they quite understand the situation that we're in," Bisson said.

Back at the shoe repair shop, Moreau Latreille said he's trying to incorporate school work into his son's routine so he doesn't fall behind.

Still, he said he's thankful Antonin is only in Grade 2.

"I don't think in the long term it's going to affect [him], but in general when you speak [about] high school, university, college, that's a little bit more problematic," he said.