People take part in a public sector union demonstration in Montreal, Saturday, September 23, 2023. The Quebec government is expected to present a contract offer today to public sector unions who are on the cusp of a strike. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
QUEBEC – The Quebec public sector unions federations representing around 430,000 workers say a new government contract offer is unacceptable.
The unions have received a strike mandate from their members and say they will walk out for a one-day strike on Nov. 6, which could be followed by further strike action.
Sonia LeBel, the chair of Quebec’s Treasury Board, issued a news release earlier in the day saying the government is offering salary increases of 14.8 per cent – up from a previous offer of nine per cent – over five years.
But the unions say that figure is misleading and workers would actually only see an increase of 10.3 per cent over five years.
More coming.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the term of the proposed contract was three years. It is, in fact, five years.
