Thousands of workers protested Thursday in Montreal as public sector workers from the south shore, Quebec city, and other regions walked off the job.

A large assembly, mostly teaches, demonstrated in front of government offices on Fullum St. to reiterate their demand for a 13.5 percent pay increase over three years and smaller class sizes.

The Common Front of unions has rejected the latest offer from the provincial government, which offered a three percent pay increase in years two, three and four of a five-year contract.

Treasury Board president Martin Coiteux said the provincial government is losing its patience with the ongoing strikes.

"Last week we put on the table $1.7 billion to have an agreement as soon as possible, so the least that we can expect is for the unions to come back and discuss that proposal very seriously. So the demonstrations that we have now, the strikes that we have now, we will not tolerate this obviously because they don't even counter-offer anything," said Coiteux.

Members of the FIQ -- the federation interprofessionelle de la santé du Quebec -- said last week they now expect the government will impose a contract on public servants.

Offices vandalized

Meanwhile on Thursday morning vandals attacked the riding office of St. Laurent MNA Jean-Marc Fournier.

One room in the government House Leader's office was covered in confetti, while stickers were plastered on walls, desks, and inside a fridge and on a computer monitor.

The stickers portray a toilet and read "The Boss's Deposit."

The office was a mess, but nothing appeared to be broken or missing and even the stickers were designed to peel off very easily.

Police believe the same group then made its way to Finance Minister Carlos Leitao's office in Dollard des Ormeaux and did essentially the same thing. Employees called police, who caught up with the suspects traveling on board a mini-bus nearby.

The alleged vandals, all apparently union members, attempted to flee before police arrived, but police managed to arrest 22 people aged between 30 and 60 years old. Since nothing was damaged, it's unclear whether they will be charged.

 

 

 

 

Those who work with Fournier say there are plenty of cameras in the offices, and any cleanup bills will go straight to whichever union was involved, if it's proven union members were involved.

Another union on strike 

Meanwhile another union which is not a member of the Common Front has voted in favour of a strike.

The Syndicat des professionnels du gouvernement du Quebec (SPGQ) represents 25,000 people including government accountants, biologists, chemists and more.

The SPGQ says it voted 75 percent in favour of a strike, and the group says it will protest on evenings on weekends as of Nov. 18.