September 11, 2023

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOUR: TIME TO DECIDE ON STRIKE ACTION

Front commun Info-négo - September 11, 2023 This is it. Here we are. All 420,000 workers will be consulted over the next few weeks on a strike mandate that could go as far as a general unlimited strike.

Between September 18 and October 13, you will be asked to vote democratically, by secret ballot, on a mandate to call a strike, up to and including a general strike. The mandate also specifies that initiating a general unlimited strike should be preceded by strategic strikes.

Facing a wall

Despite hundreds of mobilization actions organized by the Front commun, despite numerous negotiation sessions, despite media releases denouncing unacceptable offers, our observation is unequivocal: we are facing a wall. The government has left us no choice but to adopt a strike mandate in order to move these negotiations forward. Your union representatives will shortly be sending you all the details of your general assembly.

First and foremost this mobilization will be yours. Because it’s your demands that we are making together as one. We are 420,000 workers in the health and social services, education and college networks. We insist on the historic nature of this great strike movement, unprecedented in the last 50 years.

More than 7% poorer

For nine months now, the government has stubbornly maintained its wage offer of 9% over five years, while actual and forecast inflation from 2022 to 2027 totals 16.4%. This means that ultimately the 420,000 workers represented by the Front commun will be 7.4% poorer. In fact, taking into account the inflation forecasts of Finance Minister Éric Girard, it’s the guarantee of losing even more of your purchasing power that’s on the table, when the offer doesn’t even cover inflation for the first two years.

Arrogance

In addition to its failure to listen, the government’s arrogance towards public service workers seems to know no bounds. Remember that before the summer, it deliberately chose to immediately increase MNAs’ salaries by 30%, on top of the annual increases that will follow. It’s hard to believe that the government has no consideration for the men and women who keep our health and social services, education and higher education establishments running. Let’s not forget that the government is denying us $100 a week for the first year, while giving MNAs' an increase of $582 a week.

The government shows the same lack of consideration for working and practice conditions, turning a deaf ear to solutions that don’t come from it.

If the government wants to be an employer of choice, as it claims, this must be reflected in its offers. And yet, we are facing a number of attacks, including cuts to our pension plan, proposed through detention measures that would force staff to work longer to counter the shortage, or its refusal to renew certain premiums and measures paid to workers beyond September 30, 2023. If the government had proposed real improvements, we wouldn’t be where we are today

National demonstration on September 23 in Montreal

To send a clear message to the government, in addition to voting on a strike mandate, we’ll be taking to the streets on September 23. We’ll need to make a powerful show of our strength to positively influence discussions at the bargaining tables. Tens of thousands of us must demand RESPECT and CONSIDERATION. The government must understand this or risk an explosive autumn.