The rotating strikes taken by public servants are on the South Shore and Montreal on Wednesday.
Support staff at the largest school board in Quebec, the CSDM, have walked off the job. They are being joined by the New Frontiers School Board, Riverside School Board, and other francophone boards on the South Shore and further east.
Hospital staff, along with other government organizations are also affected.
They are pressing for better working conditions and higher wages, namely a 13.5 per cent pay hike over three years; the government is offering a 3 per cent raise over five years.
Teachers are demanding smaller class sizes, and an increase in social workers and aides for children with disabilities or behavioural problems.
This is the first day of rotating strikes in the Monteregie and it involves more than 50,000 employees from CLSCs, hospitals, and CEGEPS.
About 800 teachers were out Wednesday morning close to the Victoria bridge to show their displeasure over plans to increase the number of students per class, to increase the workload from 32 to 35 hours per week, and a decrease in support services for children with learning difficulties.
Those are the concerns also shared by the 8, 500 teachers at the Commission Scolaire De Montreal, who are protesting in front of schools across the city.
The rotating strike hits Montreal and Laval Thursday, and will shut down the Lester B. Pearson school board, the English Montreal school board, the CSDM for a second day, and CEGEPs including Dawson and Vanier. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier school board in Laval will also be closed.
Critical care services at hospitals and CLSCs will not be affected but the MUHC is warning it could mean delays for non-critical care, such as getting a hospital card or being booked or seen for an appointment.
