This fall promises to be another season of protests and disruptions in the education system.
On Tuesday, 34,000 teachers across Quebec voted to strike on Sept. 30 to show their frustration with negotiations with the Quebec government.
The autonomous teaching federation (FAE) is planning a large protest rally in Montreal for that day, and expects to hold a second strike day at some point between Oct. 14 and 30.
A third strike day has yet to be scheduled, and will depend on how the teachers' union feels about progress in contract negotiations.
The FAE said that it has already met with negotiators 70 times in an effort to reach a contract agreement, without any success. In previous sessions the union and came to an agreement after 54 meetings.
FAE is an umbrella group that represents eight teachers' unions at French school boards in Montreal, Laval, and the surrounding region.
Meantime, local unions will also be voting on a strike mandate.
Many are also working to rule, meaning they will work 32-hours weeks, with no extra-curriculars.
“What does it mean? It is starting to look like some clubs -- not all, but some clubs – may not happen after school. Some of the sports may not happen after school. Some of the field trips may not happen after school,” explained Richard Goldfinch of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, a group that represents more than 8,000 teachers in English school boards in the province.
Student groups are also getting involved in the fight.
Student group ASSE revealed its plans Tuesday – they are planning a weekend gathering of various groups at the end of the month “to discuss the best ways this fall to protect education together,” said ASSE spokesperson Hind Fazazi.
“We know that their working conditions are our learning conditions,” Fazazi added.
The student group also plans to put forward ideas from the anti-austerity movement known as “$10 billion in solutions,” offering ways the government can save money instead of resorting to cuts in education.
“Fight against tax evasion, the other one is to restore capital tax for wide industries and also financial institutions,” said Fazazi.
ASSE also said there will be protests and other actions on campuses soon.
The education ministry only said that employees have the right to use pressure tactics, but that the issues will be resolved at the bargaining table.