Premier of Quebec, François Legault fears current negotiations with the Canadian Province’s 600,000 public sector employees will result in “disruptions and strikes”.
“I do have some concerns about the disruptions announced by certain unions that will have the right to strike at the end of September,” Mr Legault (pictured) said during a press conference.
“It is important for wage increases to cover inflation. The Department of Finance has forecast that inflation for the next five years will be around 11.5 per cent. That’s what we’re offering employees.”
The Premier said some unions, such as the Fédération Interprofessionnelle de la Santé du Québec (FIQ), were asking for wage increases that were too high for the Government to pay.
“Unions like the FIQ are asking us for 24 per cent increases. Quite honestly, we manage Quebecers’ money. We don’t have that capacity to pay — there is no question of raising taxes,” Mr Legault said.
The Fédération Autonome de l’Enseignement, which represents 65,000 teachers, has cut its demands in half in a bid to advance negotiations with the Government.
The union now says it is waiting for a “concrete gesture” from the Government, or it could launch a strike as early as the northern autumn.
In a separate development, real estate professionals in the Federal capital of Ottawa say the city is facing a downward spiral unless more Public Servants are called back to the office full time.
The Treasury Board of Canada is supporting a hybrid model in which its employees would be required to return to the office for two or three days a week.
It’s a policy that pleases no one, with Public Servants calling for more freedom to work from home, while the real estate industry says it has been “left in the lurch” with soaring office vacancies in the city centre.
A partner of Proveras Commercial Realty, Alan Doak said the private sector tends to follow the Public Service and it remained to be seen how many of those organisations would downsize, move or right-size their real-estate footprint.
Ottawa, 10 September 2023
