Thousands of Quebec teachers prepare for strike: ‘We’re at a critical moment’

Next week, tens of thousands of teachers across Quebec are going on strike.

They’re joining forces with other public sector workers in a strike they’re calling historic, as they say contract negotiations with the province have hit a wall.

“We’re at a critical moment as a society and we need to invest in our education system, we need to invest in our health care system, we need to invest in our people,” said Matt Wilson, president of the Pearson Teachers’ Union.

Schools under Montreal’s biggest service centre, the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM), will be closed for an indefinite period as of Tuesday, locking more than 100,000 students out of the classroom.

The Lester B. Pearson School Board’s teachers are only striking for three days  — Nov. 21st, 22nd and 23rd — but all classes, including daycare services, have been cancelled.

It’s also the case for the English Montreal School Board with the exception of FACE School, which has cancelled classes indefinitely as of Nov. 23rd.

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Teachers say contract negotiations with the government are at an impasse.

“And we don’t know why,” said Wilson. “For this amount of time to have gone by in negotiations to basic questions is just baffling for anyone at the table.”

Teachers and the province have been in negotiations for a year now, with educators asking for a pay increase and more resources for students.

They also say the job has become more demanding and they’re exhausted.

“We tried everything, but teachers’ suffering has become too big,” said Benoît Giguère with the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE).

The union says they haven’t gone on such a massive strike since 1982 and call this new action historic. “The fight has reached that point,” said Giguère.

At pick-up time at Verdun Elementary, parents who spoke to Global News say having their kids off school will be hard.

“It’s a week off of work,” said Jean-Luc Lapensee, who has a child in Grade 1.

However, Lapensee and others who spoke to Global News say they’re behind the teachers in their action.

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“I’m standing with them,” said André Godin, a father of four children. “They really need better conditions.”

Government sources tell Global News that they’ve put a fair and realistic offer on the table which includes the creation of permanent teaching positions and adding teacher’s aids in elementary and high school.

While teachers are also asking for a better student-teacher ratio, the government says it’s simply not realistic given the ongoing staff shortage.

They say they are currently waiting for a counter-offer from teachers.