Unions analyzing situation on sixth day of Quebec teachers strike

Pressure is mounting for the federation of Quebec teachers unions (FAE), which is on its sixth day of indefinite strike on Thursday.

It is the only public sector union organization to have immediately launched an indefinite strike, negotiating alone with Quebec and without giving any prior warning shots in the form of strike days.

From the start, the FAE indicated that it would reassess the situation every week.

This is what it is doing this Thursday, a week after launch the strike.

The meeting was already planned, the union organization said.

Around 70 representatives from its nine affiliated unions are meeting for at least the whole day to assess the situation. All options remain on the table, the FAE said.

The FAE did not request conciliation, unlike the Common Front, which confirmed that a conciliation has arrived on the scene, at its request, and that it has created "momentum" at the negotiation tables.

The FAE represents 66,500 teachers at the primary and secondary levels.

The other 95,000 teachers at the primary and secondary levels are members of the CSQ, which is part of the Common Front. The latter has only been on strike for four days so far. It announced seven more days from Dec. 8 to 14.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Bernard Drainville reiterated Thursday that the decision has not yet been made as to when and how these days without school should be resumed.

Asked if he was able to envisage the FAE strike lasting until the Christmas break, which would result in a month without school for these students, he replied: "Unfortunately, yes. Do I hope we don't go there? The answer is yes, too."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 30, 2023.