Parents in Montreal unite with teachers on the picket line.
Following an ongoing indefinite strike that lasted almost three weeks and involved tens of thousands of teachers throughout Quebec, it was the parents who joined the picket line on Tuesday.
In the morning, numerous parents stood alongside educators in Montreal’s west end, waving signs and chanting slogans to express their support during the contract negotiations.
Jennifer Zimmerman, who has been present every day with her children, stands in solidarity with the striking staff. She emphasized the hard work teachers put in to help children while dealing with increasing demands.
“I think we need everyone to come together and see the urgency in the situation,” Zimmerman said. “We need a resolution. It has been three weeks and it has been too long.”
Vincent Hubert stood in solidarity on the picket line, acknowledging the challenges that parents, including himself, face in having their kids at home. Despite this burden, he expressed his unwavering support for educators.
As public sector workers stage simultaneous walkouts, close to one million children are currently not attending school this week. Negotiations between unions and the Quebec government are in progress, but an agreement has not yet been reached.
Since November 23, approximately 66,000 teachers belonging to the Fédération Autonome de l’Enseignement (FAE) have been on an indefinite strike, leading to the closure of about 800 public schools.
Simultaneously, the Front Commun, a coalition of four unions representing 420,000 public sector workers in education, social services, and health, has initiated a week-long walkout starting last Friday. Notably, their negotiations are being conducted independently of the FAE.
In the previous week, the unions turned down the government’s recent offer, which featured a proposed base pay increase of 12.7% over five years. The unions argue that it fails to match inflation rates.
Beyond monetary concerns, working conditions and class sizes remain significant points of contention in the education sector. Alexis Fortier, a high school teacher in Quebec City, is particularly eager to enhance the learning environment for students.
On Monday evening, the FAE conveyed on social media that there had been advancements in talks with the province. Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel noted that the discussions are currently at a crucial stage, hinting at the potential for an agreement in the near future.
