16.24°C Vancouver

Nov 6, 2023 6:54 PM - The Canadian Press

Hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers on strike today

Share On
hundreds-of-thousands-of-quebec-public-sector-workers-on-strike-today
The unions are promising a historic fight to preserve their purchasing power during a time of high inflation. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers are off the job today in the first of a series of one-day strikes.

Schools, health care facilities and social services will all be disrupted as four unions representing a "common front" of some 420,000 workers go on strike to protest the province's latest contract offer.

The unions are promising a historic fight to preserve their purchasing power during a time of high inflation.

The government's latest offer includes a 10.3 per cent salary increase over five years and a one-time payment of $1,000 to each worker, a proposal the unions have described as "paltry."

The strike will last from midnight until 10:30 a.m. in elementary and secondary schools, and until noon in junior colleges.

Some health and social services including mental health, youth protection and medical imagery will operate at between 70 and 85 per cent capacity, depending on the department, while emergency and intensive care services will be maintained at 100 per cent.

Other unions are expected to hold strikes in the coming days, including a two-day walkout on Wednesday and Thursday by the union representing 80,000 nurses, auxiliary nurses, respiratory therapists and other health professionals.

A union representing some 65,000 Quebec teachers has also said it will launch an unlimited general strike on Nov. 23 if an agreement isn't reached.

The negotiations have been going on since the beginning of the year, after the government tabled its offer in December 2022. Both sides were still at the table as of Friday, according to Robert Comeau, the president of the Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux.

The government has said that in addition to pay raises, its offer includes more money for workers and shifts it considers priorities, such as nurses working nights and weekends and teachers' aides in primary schools. Workers who earn less than $52,000 a year would also receive an additional one per cent increase.

The unions, on the other hand, say the government's proposal doesn't cover inflation. They have countered with a demand for a three-year contract with annual 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 in the second year and four points higher in the third.

Latest news

canada-post-union-says-negotiation-meeting-delayed-with-talks-to-continue-monday
CanadaAug 22, 2025

Canada Post union says negotiation meeting delayed, with talks to continue Monday

Negotiations that had been scheduled for Friday between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been delayed. A press release from CUPW says it's been informed by Canada Post that the Crown corporation needs more time to review offers from the union. The postponement comes after the two parties returned to the bargaining table on Wednesday, with plans to meet again on Friday. Instead, the union says the meeting is to take place Monday. CUPW says the Crown corporation's final offers did not meet its needs. The union is also maintaining its national ban on overtime.
air-canada-ramping-up-operations-to-near-full-schedule-by-friday
CanadaAug 22, 2025

Air Canada ramping up operations to near full schedule by Friday

Air Canada says it expects to be operating close to its full network schedule by Friday. The airline says it is continuing to ramp up its operations in a press release Thursday. This comes after the airline reached a tentative deal with the union representing its flight attendants on Tuesday to end a strike that began on Saturday. The strike disrupted the airline's operations, resulting in the cancellation of flights. Mark Nasr, Air Canada's chief operations officer, said in the release that the airline is restoring operations ahead of its plan. More than 10,000 flight attendants for Air Canad
former-sri-lankan-president-wickremesinghe-arrested-on-allegations-of-misusing-state-funds
WorldAug 22, 2025

Former Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe arrested on allegations of misusing state funds

Sri Lanka police on Friday arrested the country’s former president and senior opposition politician Ranil Wickremesinghe over allegations of misusing public funds during his tenure as president, an aide said. Wickremesinghe, who served as the island nation’s president from 2022 to 2024, was arrested on allegations of using public funds to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony in London after an official visit to the U.S. Wickremesinghe is the first Sri Lankan former head of state to be arrested. One of his aides told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Wickremesinghe has
folding-licence-plates-and-stunt-riding-get-two-sport-bikes-ticketed-and-impounded
BCAug 21, 2025

Folding licence plates and stunt riding get two sport bikes ticketed and impounded

Two motorcycle riders are spending a week getting rides from friends after a day of weaving through traffic in Vancouver without displaying licence plates. On August 17, 2025, just before 3:00 p.m., on Highway #1 at the Cassiar Connector, two BMW sport motorcycles were observed riding in tandem. A BC Highway Patrol cruiser that was watching could not see any licence plates at all. Some sport motorcycles have their rear fenders removed and a licence plate on a folding mount under the rear tire, says Corporal Michael McLaughlin with BC Highway Patrol. That is completely illegal. A motorcycle mus
new-housing-targets-will-bring-thousands-more-homes
BCAug 21, 2025

New housing targets will bring thousands more homes

The Province has set new housing targets for a fourth group of municipalities, bringing thousands of new homes to communities throughout B.C. Announced in May 2025, the fourth group of communities is part of the Province’s expanded housing-targets program to address high demand in growing communities and to continue to deliver the homes people need throughout the province. Effective Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, the following are the five-year targets for each municipality, which are set following consultation and reflect 75% of their estimated housing need: Burnaby - 10,240Coquitlam - 6,481Courten

Related News