News Labour Relations
Quebec public sector strikes: Premier Legault says ready to increase offer

Quebec Premier Francois Legault says he’s ready to increase his government’s offer to striking public sector workers, but he says their unions have to show more flexibility.

He made the comments today in Quebec City as unions representing 570,000 teachers, nurses, orderlies and other public sector workers are on strike across the province.

Legault says that in exchange for more money, he needs flexibility from nurses to fill undesirable shifts and from teachers about when they are assigned classes.

It’s the first time since unions staged a limited strike earlier this month that the premier has stated so clearly that the government is ready to increase its offer.

Unions have rejected the proposal for a 10.3-per-cent salary increase over five years, a one-time payment of $1,000 to each worker, and an extra three per cent for certain jobs the province says are priorities.

Instead, they want a three-year deal that includes salary increases tied to the inflation rate: two percentage points above inflation in the first year or $100 per week, whichever is more beneficial, followed by three points higher than inflation in the second year and four points higher in the third.