Common Front public sector unions to strike again Dec. 8 – 14, local teachers’ unions react
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Common Front public sector unions (CSQ, FTQ, CSN and APTS) announced Nov. 28 that they plan to strike again from Dec. 8 – 14; their last strike lasted from Nov. 21 – 23. If this new pressure does not result in an acceptable agreement with the government at the negotiating table, a future unlimited strike is expected. A separate teachers’ union, the Fédération Autonome de L’Enseignement (FAE), has been on an unlimited strike since Nov. 23, affecting the functioning of three Eastern Townships School Board (ETSB) schools: Sutton Elementary, Massey-Vanier High School, and Campus Brome-Missisquoi, a vocational training centre.
“For teachers it only means five days,” said Brigitte Robert, Champlain Lennoxville SECCL union president. Teachers don’t have classes on the weekends, but other members of the Common Front are working, like healthcare workers, she noted. Nearing the end of the term, two days of classes are being lost: Friday, Dec. 8 and Monday, Dec. 11.
The English Exit Exam was scheduled for Dec. 13 and must now be rescheduled. Dec. 14 was meant to be an exam day and will also need to be made up for. Any future changes to the calendar would be decided upon by the CEGEP’s governing board, but teachers are available between Christmas and New Year’s, or after the holidays, she explained. Robert speculated that make-up nights and weekends could also be an option.
