After Quebec MNAs give themselves a raise, public service workers say 'now, do us next'

Quebec Premier Francois Legault presents the inaugural speech to members of the National Assembly, at the legislature in Quebec City, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. The legislature has passed a law putting an end to a requirement to swear an oath to the King to sit in the legislature.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

More than 12,000 public sector union members have signed a petition calling for salary increases following the recent raise Quebec MNAs granted to themselves after passing Bill 24.

MNAs will see their annual base salary raised by $30,000 after adopting Bill 24 on Tuesday. 

The petition refers to a 30 per cent increase, and its signatories are calling for public sector workers to be granted pay rises "equivalent" to those of elected members of the National Assembly.

The petition recalled that, generally speaking, the Quebec government offers nine per cent increases over five years to public sector employees.

The petition, submitted by Québec solidaire (QS) MNA Christine Labrie, collected 12,138 names "in just one week," she pointed out when submitting it. 

On its Facebook page, the major nurses' union federation, the FIQ, had fun repeating government statements intended to justify the pay rise for MNAs, crossing out the term "MNA" and replacing it with "care professional."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 8, 2023.