Quebec's provincial unions will confirm Friday exactly when they will hold rotating strikes and a general strike.
Rotating strikes will be held by hundreds of thousands of workers in October and November, followed by three days of a general strike apparently scheduled for Dec. 1, 2 and 3.
In Quebec City, ministers who have been overseeing the departments involved in negotiations were trying to be optimistic.
Martin Coiteux, president of the Treasury Board, said he believes progress is being made.
"We have a constructive dialogue at the negotiating tables. We've been in that mood since last summer," he said.
Coiteux said he also preferred there be no strike at all, because he believes the public should not lose services to striking workers
"Of course I would prefer not to have rotating strikes, I would prefer the unions use a strategy that would not disrupt public services. This is what I think should be appropriate, but they have their own strategies," he said.
There are several disagreements between the provincial government and unionized employees, including a wide disagreement over salary increases.
Workers are pushing for a 13.5 percent raise over three years, while the government has offered a two-year salary freeze, followed by a one percent per year hike for three years.
