QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 17, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ) and the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (APEQ-QPAT) signed the final version of the new 2020–2023 contract for the approximately 73,000 teachers they represent in Quebec, putting an end to more than two years of negotiations. Éric Gingras, President of Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Education, and Sonia LeBel, Chair of Conseil du trésor, were also at the National Assembly to add their official signatures following the signing at the Comité patronal de négociation (CPN) offices.
"We can be proud of the way our teachers have really come together and made significant gains, particularly in terms of salary, even if wages remain below the Canadian average," said Josée Scalabrini, President of FSE-CSQ. However, our teachers have made it clear that they are disappointed with the lack of improvements to their workload, which has grown far too heavy and complex over time. There is still a long way to go, as this issue is weighing on teachers every day and needs to be resolved."
"Teachers have been pushing hard despite the pandemic. They told us they felt they got everything the government was willing to offer right now," said Heidi Yetman, President of APEQ-QPAT. "Given that this is a three-year agreement, we will soon head back to the drawing board to continue the work, particularly regarding workload. This is an important issue that the government must address, especially during a labour shortage when we need to be promoting and supporting the profession."
"This agreement is a step forward for education, but much remains to be done," added CSQ President Éric Gingras. "We are preparing for another round of bargaining, and we will need assurances from the government that it is committed to continuing to improve the system and our working conditions. "
Upcoming payments
With this agreement signed, teachers can expect to receive a first lump sum payment in mid-December, followed by a second lump sum payment in mid-January of $602.68 each for full-time equivalents. In addition to the second lump sum, salary increases retroactive to April 1, 2020, will be paid. Teachers can view their new salary using the tool created by CSQ at https://negociation.lacsq.org/calculateur/.
Details of the agreement will be sent to teachers shortly. It should be noted that the salary increases negotiated by CSQ have made the one-time amounts offered by the government permanent, thereby giving all teachers in Quebec salary increases ranging from 6.1% to 14.8% over three years.
In addition to salary increases, highlights of the new collective agreement for 2020–2023 include:
- The addition of 225 special classes over three years across the network
- The creation of approximately 300 new regular groups in elementary schools (FSE-APEQ) in difficult environments outside of disadvantaged areas, to reduce pressure from the high number of individual plans
- A portion of supervision duties at elementary schools assigned to other employees so teachers can spend more time with students
- The release of nearly 1,000 mentor teachers (FSE-APEQ) to facilitate the professional integration of new teachers
- In preschool, a half-hour reduction in developmental and cognitive learning activities without changing the duration of the work day
- In adult education, the addition of the equivalent of two additional teaching days
- Additional releases for the correction of ministerial examinations of one day per year in Grade 6 and one half-day in Grade 4 (FSE-APEQ)
- An addition of recognized time to the workload for training to encourage completion of the legal qualification
- Mandatory attendance at school reduced from 32 to 30 hours per week on average
An overview of the FSE-APEQ agreement can be found in the
April 2021 FSE-CSQ Info négo.
As in every negotiation, several weeks of work were necessary to carefully draft the contract and ensure the wording accurately reflects what was negotiated. Both FSE-CSQ and APEQ-QPAT would like to thank the negotiating teams for their exceptional work in the unusual circumstances caused by the pandemic. "Our experienced teams have made a real difference, as did the teachers who took the bold step of striking to get their message heard. Our strategy paid off as teachers are now one step closer to better recognition of their profession," said Scalabrini and Yetman.
"Pending the next round of negotiations, however, the government will have to tackle teacher pay equity. It is inexcusably behind in its evaluation of jobs for the 2020 maintenance exercise and complaints dating back to 2015 are still unresolved," they added.
Northern negotiations still ongoing
FSE-CSQ takes this opportunity to lament the fact that negotiations for the teachers in Northern Quebec represented by AENQ-CSQ are also dragging on due to a lack of government initiative. "The needs in Cree and Inuit communities and schools are particularly significant," said Scalabrini. "Systemic delays in northern negotiations are unreasonable and unacceptable, as students and teachers are the ones paying the price. The government needs to give clear and effective directions to its representatives."
Profile
The Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ) is composed of 34 unions representing more than 65,000 teachers in school service centres and school boards across Quebec. Its membership includes teachers from all sectors, including pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational and general adult education. It is affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) and negotiates in collaboration with the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (APEQ-QPAT), which represents the 8,000 teachers in Quebec's English school boards. Together, they represent 73,000 teachers.
SOURCE Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (CSQ)
Sylvie Lemieux, Press Officer, FSE-CSQ, 418 563-7193, [email protected] ; Julie Montpetit, Communications Advisor, APEQ-QPAT, 514 249-9653, [email protected]
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