No settlement in sight between Quebec and public sector workers

Dozens ofclosed-door negotiating sessionsover the last few monthshave failed to yield an agreement between the Quebec government and its public service workers, withbothsidesstillworlds apart.

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The Liberal government started by offering the workers a three per cent raise over five years, in the form of a two-year wage freeze followed by three years ofone per cent raises.

The offer sought todelay workers' retirement to 62 years of ageand make retirement income calculable based on an employee'seight best years of income, rather than the current five. Itwould also increasethe penalty for taking early retirementfrom four to 7.2 per cent.

The public service workers are seeking a13.5 per cent increaseover three years.

The unions have saidthe government offer representsa wage cut, as the cost of living is expected to rise by 10 per cent over the next five years. Therefore, they have said,a three per cent raise over that period would leave members with seven per cent less buying power in real terms.

Bigger classes among proposals to teachers

The government's proposals to teacher included:

• Increasingteacher-student ratios in Grades 4, 5,6 and in high school.
• Decreasingfunding forspecial-needs studentsby counting eachas one child, rather than two or three.
• Cutting800 resource-teacher and special-education teacher jobs.
• Reducing employee pension plans.
• Increasing thework week from 32 hours to 40 hours.

Nurses seek end to forced overtime

Quebec nurses arealso asking for a 13.5 per cent raiseover threeyears, as well as a better ratio between nurses and patients.They're seeking less forced overtime, bonuses for working nights and eveningsand improvedjob safety.

The La Fdration interprofessionnelle de la sant du Qube (FIQ ),which represents66,000 nurses and other health care professionals, reported last week that79 per cent of its members voted to strike.

"We are still far from an agreement. We will use all necessary methods to pressure the government to force itto listen to us," FIQsaidin a newsreleaselast week.

Over half a millionpeopleare employedin Quebec's public service, with almosthalf of that totalemployed in the health care system,185,000 in schools, 80,000 in the civil service andabout 35,000 in CEGEPs.

After months ofnegotiations, few details have emerged about any progress in the talks.

One union leader indicated that the government seems intent on sticking to its salary offer, even as private-sector employers are offering cost-of-living increases.

"The government has not budged an inch from its 0-0-1-1-1 proposal, which is a 3 per cent raise over five years, while the Conseil du patronat is giving 2.6 per cent in 2016 to allowits employees maintain their purchasing power," said Jacques Ltourneau, the president of the CSN (Confederation of National Trade Unions.)