Leaders of two Quebec teachers unions approve partial deal with provincial government

Two Quebec teachers unions say their leadership has approved a partial agreement with the government after weeks of participating in larger public sector strikes.

The Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement and Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, which together represent over 100,000 educators, say they won't make the details of the proposal public until their members have a chance to voice their opinions.

But the unions do make clear the tentative deal doesn't cover teacher salaries.

That and other issues are still the subject of the unions' joint negotiations with the government under a broader alliance of labour groups known as the common front, which represents hundreds of thousands of Quebec public sector workers.

The Common Front has already carried out several multi-day strikes in the last two months and has threatened an unlimited strike next year if it's unable to reach an agreement with the provincial government.

A separate union representing another 66,000 teachers, Fédération autonome de l'enseignement, has been on an unlimited strike since Nov. 23.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2023.