The striking FAE teachers intend to present a new counteroffer to the government and continue negotiations after receiving a “verbal proposal” for an agreement on Monday evening.
• Also read: Public sector negotiations: Quebec increases its offer to 12.7%, the Common Front maintains its strike
• Also read: “It is clearly inadequate”: FIQ rejects improved offer from Quebec
After ten days of strike, the union representing teachers from twelve school service centers appears to have managed to resume talks with the government and still hopes to reach an agreement before the holidays.
In its next counteroffer, the FAE wants to stick to its demands regarding class organization and relief for teachers.
“Our next collective agreement must fundamentally change our daily lives and those of our students, who are at the heart of our concerns,” affirmed FAE President Mélanie Hubert.
She also responded to the improvement in the government’s salary offer, which rose from 10.3% to 12.7% on Wednesday.
“There is still a long way to go. The gap between this new offer and our desire to receive between 4% or the CPI per calendar year remains significant,” commented Ms. Hubert.
Unanimous rejection
The FAE is far from the only union to reject Wednesday’s proposed pay rise.
“We cannot accept the impoverishment of our members because they are tired of being in last place in Quebec when it comes to salaries,” reacted Karine Dextras Paquette, one of the vice-presidents of the Public Service Union and the Parapublic of Quebec, and stressed that inflation is a must, with government forecasts to reach 18.1% over five years.
Previously, the Joint Front consisting of FTQ, CSN, CSQ and APTS had taken a similar position.
“Without a clause that guarantees the protection of purchasing power and enrichment and allows for wage compensation (IPC+), it will not be possible to reach an agreement,” argued the trade union group, which is planning a seven-day strike from Friday.
The Interprofessional Health Federation (FIQ) also rejected the government offer in the evening; its president Julie Bouchard considered it “clearly inadequate”.