Quebec teachers accuse Legault of 'emotional blackmail' after plea to end strike
A striking Quebec teachers union said Friday it won't give in to "emotional blackmail" from the premier after he asked them to return to work for the good of their students.
Premier Francois Legault told reporters in Quebec City that he wants the teachers to think of the children who are being harmed by the strike that is into its second week.
"What's happening now is bad for our children," Legault said at the provincial legislature. "I have a hard time living with the fact that our children aren't in school."
The union, the Federation autonome de l'enseignement, responded on social media, saying its members are striking to prevent the further deterioration of public schools -- which they say is what's really hurting children.
"What's hurting public schools is the deterioration of the system which has been exacerbated since you've been in power," the union wrote in a social media post addressed to Legault.
The union's 66,000 members have been on an unlimited strike since Nov. 23, shutting around 800 schools across the province.
As he called on teachers to abandon their pressure tactics, Legault said he's already committed to improving the government's salary offer and increasing the number of teachers' aides. But Legault said he won't be able meet the main demand of teachers unions, smaller class sizes, because the province doesn't have enough teachers. Teachers aides are being offered "in exchange," he said.
There are no plans to legislate the teachers back to work, Legault said.
"We can't hurt our children, they're the most precious thing we have," he said. "We have to stop this strike, it's going to hurt the success of our children. We already had the pandemic, so this has to stop, please."
Union leaders were meeting for a second day Friday to evaluate the state of their negotiations with the provincial government and evaluate their options.
Several other Quebec public sector unions -- including one representing 95,000 teachers -- have been holding temporary strikes, with the next one scheduled to take place between Dec. 8 and Dec. 14.
Josee Scalabrini, the president of the other teachers union, the Federation des syndicats de l'enseignement, described Legault's comments as "very damaging" and "disrespectful."
"We have a premier who is trying to make teachers feel guilty for demanding more services for their students," she said in an interview.
Scalabrini questioned why, if the premier believes the teachers strike is causing problems for students, negotiations haven't taken place for two weeks.
"If the strike is causing harm now, why doesn't the government come to the table?" she said.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 1, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police ID mom, daughter killed in Old Montreal; video shows person break into building before fatal fire
Police released the identities of the mother and daughter who were killed after a fire tore through a 160-year-old building in Old Montreal on Friday.
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf of Mexico, could intensify as a hurricane threatening Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometres) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.
'I screamed in shock and horror': Family faces deadly Vancouver hit-and-run driver during sentencing
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice are linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi draws a crowd for arrival at Toronto's BMO Field
Argentine star Lionel Messi was on the bench to start Inter Miami CF's game in Toronto on Saturday.
Northwestern Ont. woman charged with arson with disregard for human life
A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.
'No one has $70,000 dollars lying around': Toronto condo owners facing massive special assessment
The owners of a North York condominium say they are facing a $70,000 special assessment to fix their building's parking garage. '$70,000 is a lot of money. It makes me very nervous and stressed out of nowhere for this huge debt to come in,' said Ligeng Guo.
Looking for cheap flights for the holidays? Here are some tips to remember
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.