Quebec public sector workers are striking on Monday. How will services be affected?
More than 400,000 public sector workers in Quebec are slated to strike on Monday, meaning some services will be interrupted in schools and health-care settings across the province.
Unions in the Commont Front alliance (CSN, CSQ, FTQ AND APTS) are headed to the picket line after rejecting the Legault government's latest offer earlier this week.
Here's a breakdown of which services will be affected on Nov. 6.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
Some workers in the health and social services sector, such as lab technicians, nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers, will strike on Monday.
However, because of rules surrounding essential services, they'll work at a reduced capacity rather than forgoing their duties altogether.
Here's a breakdown of the numbers, according to APTS (Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux) president Robert Comeau:
- Mental health and youth protection: services at 70-85%
- Laboratories, medical imaging and technical platforms: services at 80%
- Nutrition, rehabilitatoin and general psychosocial services: services at 70%
Emergency and intensive care will be operate at normal levels.
Nurses are not part of this strike action. Their union, the Fédération Interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) -- unaffiliated with the Common Front -- has voted instead to strike on Nov. 8 and 9.
CTV News reached out to health and social service centres (CISSS/CIUSSSs) across Montreal, Laval and the Montérégie region, most of whom said that the strike could cause a slowdown of services Monday.
"We are aware and sensitive to the impact this situation could have on users. Rest assured that we are working in collaboration with union organizations and the [Ministry of Health] to limit the effects of this strike on the population," reads one statement from the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'île-de-Montréal.
Quebec's health ministry also issued a press release saying a "coordination unit has been set up to ensure that operations run smoothly." It added that the unit will be in close touch with health establishment.
It confirmed emergency and intensive care services will be provided as usual, adding that it has agreed with each facility that a minimum it has been agreed with each facility that a "minimum proportion of staff will be present to provide essential services to the population."
Essential services will be provided in social service sectors, notably youth protection and mental health, as well as in all facilities offering accommodation and care to seniors and those with special needs.
Some appointments, particularly for elective surgery, may be postponed. Facilities will contact patients potentially affected by these postponements.
Appointment slots at vaccination centres have been planned according to the number of staff available during the strike to avoid cancellations.
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL
Tens of thousands of teachers across Quebec will strike from midnight until 10:30 a.m. on Monday.
The situation may vary from one school to the next, as different teachers are affiliated with different unions.
But as far as the Montreal area's English school boards are concerned -- namely EMSB, Lester B. Pearson, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, New Frontiers and Riverside -- classes will start in the late morning or early afternoon, usually around 11 a.m.
The same applies to the region's French school services centres: the CSSDM, CSSMB and CSSPI.
School buses will also be cancelled in the morning, resuming in the afternoon.
The exception is buses with the Transco carrier, where drivers launched a separate, unlimited strike on Tuesday.
DAYCARE
Quebec's public daycares and childcare centres (CPEs) will run as usual on Monday.
But childcare services operated through schools will be unavailable in the morning (most school boards say the service will resume for the after-school period).
CEGEP
Many CEGEP instructors will also strike on Monday, lasting from midnight to noon.
Classes will be cancelled throughout the morning, resuming in the afternoon.
As for Universities, they will not be affected by the strike.
OTHER SERVICES
Other government services, such as provincial courthouses and the auto insurance board (SAAQ), are not expected to be impacted by the strike.
The same goes for Crown corporations like Hydro-Québec and the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ).
With files from The Canadian Press.
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