Support staff employees in Quebec schools argue it's not fair that they have to use their sick days when required to isolate because of COVID-19.
Many of them insist they already deal with precarious employment statuses and do not have enough banked time to take numerous days off.
The Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ), which represents 15,000 employees through its affiliated unions, denounces the situation, pointing out that the rules change from one school service centre to another.
Employees affected include daycare, maintenance and administrative workers.
FTQ Secretary General Denis Bolduc criticizes outgoing education minister Jean-François Roberge for having "passed the buck" to the service centres.
He wants an overarching directive to be issued to the centres so the policy can be the same everywhere: if an employee is forced to isolate because of COVID-19 and cannot do their tasks from home, they should be paid, as was the case at the height of the pandemic.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 21, 2022.
