MONTREAL -- A union representing nearly 49,000 teachers will apply to the Superior Court of Quebec in the coming days in an attempt to get the Quebec government to establish an accelerated screening mechanism for COVID-19 in the school network.
The Federation autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) said it has not yet received proof that such a mechanism exists, despite the promise made on Aug. 10 by Health Minister Christian Dubé.
The union also wants the government to provide all the documents relating to the health plan that applies to the school network, in particular data relating to cases of COVID-19 -- which has not yet been made public by the province.
FAE President Sylvain Mallette believes the health and safety of school staff and students depend on it. He said it’s important to know whether the accelerated screening mechanism exists and if it is effective in order to reassure the union members and the rest of the population.
Mallette said that since the beginning of the pandemic, the Quebec government has refused to forward the union the documents it used to make its decisions. The ones the union did receive were often redacted.
Legal recourse is required to obtain answers to the legitimate questions of union members, Mallette said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2020.
