Quebec common front unions threaten unlimited strike if no deal reached by new year

Despite optimism from Quebec's common front union leaders earlier this week, the coalition released a statement Tuesday evening saying it would launch an unlimited strike in the new year if a deal isn't reached in the coming days. 

The multi-union coalition known as the Front commun in French is pushing for better working conditions in the public health and education sectors. It represents 420,000 workers in the province, including 95,000 teachers. 

Tuesday evening, the statement published by the common front said no deal had emerged from ongoing negotiations with the government so far this week. The coalition said it was still hopeful it would reach a tentative agreement before 2024.

"While progress is being made at the central bargaining table, the issues of pay, insurance, regional disparities and skilled workers are not yet resolved," the statement read.

The common front said it has two unresolved demands: guaranteed inflation protection and a "catch-up increase, for which no figure has been given in order to leave room for negotiating at the bargaining table."

An unlimited strike by the common front would keep all public schools in the province closed indefinitely. As it stands now, with only the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) on a general unlimited strike, only schools with FAE personnel (a large number of French schools, but not all of them) are closed indefinitely.

The FAE, which represents 65,000 teachers across the province, has been on general strike since Nov. 23. 

An unlimited strike is a work stoppage with no set end date. The striking workers stay out until they agree to a new deal —or they are forced back to work, but the government has repeatedly said it has no intention of passing back-to-work legislation.

The common front's threat Tuesday came hours after Quebec Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel announced she had made a proposal to the FAE and the Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE).

FSE leadership has rejected the offer, saying it didn't address class sizes and teacher workload, while the FAE has said it would review it before commenting on it.

Also Tuesday, Labour Minister Jean Boulet said he had appointed a conciliator for negotiations with the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) to facilitate a deal. 

The FIQ, which represents 80,000 nurses and other health-care professionals, had requested a conciliator, saying it could no longer conduct talks directly with Premier François Legault's government.

"After more than 75 negotiating sessions and more than a year at the table, we see that there are still very important differences between us and the government on fundamental issues," FIQ president Julie Bouchard said Tuesday.