In terms of pay offers, the enhancement offered by the government on December 6 is once again insufficient to protect you against the rising cost of living. One thing is certain: the Front commun will not reach an agreement unless there is both a mechanism to maintain your purchasing power and a catch-up pay increase. Front commun members can’t go on getting poorer.
In terms of sectoral bargaining talks focusing on your conditions of practice, we’re also involved in intensive discussions to achieve better working conditions for you in every sector. Our demands are designed to be realistic, feasible, and cross-sectoral in order to provide concrete ways of reducing work overload and counteracting the labour shortage.
We know you’d like to be rapidly informed of what's happening at the bargaining tables.
At this stage, we’ve been making fewer public comments in order to help the talks advance. While we can’t provide you with frequent updates, we want you to know that we check in almost every day with the APTS provincial bargaining council, which includes representatives of each of your local teams. We will, of course, keep you informed of any major development as soon as that is possible.
Until we reach a tentative deal, let’s keep on showing our solidarity among ourselves, as APTS members from all sectors, and with our Front commun partners. Thanks to your solidarity, your determination, and your willingness to mobilize, we’ve been able to stand up to a government that stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the value of your expertise. Everyone at the APTS is putting their shoulder to the wheel to achieve better working conditions for each and every one of you. That’s something you can count on.
We won’t back down!