The FSE-CSQ and QPAT light up Édifice Marie-Guyart - "Enough contempt! Respecting teachers is non-negotiable!"
QUÉBEC, Nov. 12, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - The Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE-CSQ) and the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (APEQ-QPAT) have lit up the north façade of the Marie-Guyart building in Quebec City, home of the Ministère de l'Éducation, to make the government see the light, so that it can move forward with negotiations to renew the Quebec teachers' collective agreements. "Enough contempt! Respecting teachers is non-negotiable! / In education, things have to change now!" was displayed, in reference to the particularly challenging work conditions faced by teachers in all sectors, with no real improvement on the horizon at the bargaining table. Teaching staff is consequently taking a louder stance to get heard.
"This Government promised education would be a real priority, and that teachers would be respected and valued. But we're exhausted, our workload has increased due to the shortage and the pandemic, our classes are too full and poorly balanced, there is a lack of services and we're still the lowest paid in Canada. Enough is enough, it's no longer okay, things have to change now!" said Josée Scalabrini, President of the FSE-CSQ.
"We can't accept that the government has made no concrete gestures following its commitment to value our profession. Is the government aware of the huge gap between its employer demands at the tables and its election commitments? Working conditions were already difficult before the pandemic, so imagine how exhausted teachers are now. Things have to improve now, it's urgent," added Heidi Yetman, President of QPAT.
The lack of a plan to address poor ventilation in classrooms is perhaps the most recent episode of inconsideration toward teachers, who are asking for mobile air purification units for rooms with poor ventilation, to protect their health and that of their students. Added to this event were the erroneous statements issued by Minister Roberge's office, in which it was claimed that teachers were paid for their overtime. Stunned, the teachers informed the minister that if they actually were paid for all their overtime, they wouldn't be the lowest paid in Canada, as is currently the case.
As a reminder, the latest employer offers were rejected by 97% of the FSE-CSQ members. In total, 98% of the teachers consulted reiterated their desire for improvement in the following four key areas:
- classroom composition and services for students with special needs;
- workload;
- compensation, including an increase in the salary range for all teachers;
- job insecurity and entry into the profession.
Negotiations have been underway for a year now, but no significant progress has been made.
Profile
The Fédération des syndicats de l'enseignement (FSE) represents 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)
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