Bulletin
PUBLIC SECTOR NEGOTIATIONS – THE FTQ COMMENTS ON THE MEETING WITH THE PREMIER AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE TREASURY BOARD

Another public relations exercise, we’re going in circles. – Daniel Boyer, President of the FTQ

The Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ) reacted with disappointment at the end of the meeting this afternoon with which the Premiere and the President of the Treasury Board convened the main union organizations who are implicated in the public sector negotiations (FTQ, CSQ, CSN, FIQ, APTS).  “This is the third time since March 2020 that the Premiere and the Treasury Board have met with us to basically repeat the same things and just like last year, we repeat that yes, we want to negotiate, yes, we are ready to speed up negotiations, but still the employers’ negotiators must have the mandates to make things happen, it is obviously still not the case”, says FTQ President Daniel Boyer.

“Public relations and beautiful images are fine, but the Premiere needs to talk to his negotiators. The FTQ has already submitted reasonable and acceptable requests several weeks ago that respond very well to the government’s fiscal framework. We still believe in a negotiated agreement, but the government needs to understand that the workers we represent are entitled to a real improvement in the working conditions, remuneration, including a wage catch-up. In addition, there is still nothing for the support staff. Without these improvements, the exodus of public sector workers who leave their jobs by the hundreds will only increase,” adds the FTQ president.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Quebec City has not hesitated to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to revive the economy, and we have welcomed it. But it is not just concrete, it’s also public services such as health, education and social service, that have been underfunded for decades and are being kept at arm’s length. To treat and pay your staff well, also means investing in our economy.  As far as I know, the wages paid are not being used to enrich tax havens, but to put bread and butter on the table and to feed one’s families.” concludes Daniel Boyer.