Four large Quebec public sector unions say they will strike for a week in December

Four large Quebec public sector unions say they will strike for a week in December in an effort to accelerate contract negotiations with the provincial government.

The four unions, who are negotiating together as a common front, say their 420,000 members will walk off the job from Dec 8 to Dec 14.

14 if a deal isn't reached before then. The unions represent the majority of Quebec's elementary and high school teachers, as well as education support staff and a range of workers in the health-care system, including patient care aides and laboratory technicians.

Workers represented by the four unions were on strike for three days last week and for a single day earlier in the month. The unions say the December strike will be the last temporary strike before their members begin an unlimited strike.A separate Quebec teachers union with more than 66,000 members began an unlimited strike last week.