MONTREAL–From Quebec City, to Laval, to downtown Montreal, picket lines popped up across the province Tuesday morning.
The most dramatic scene was at Montreal’s courthouse where strikers crowded the entrances and police were called in to unblock the doors.
It’s day two of public sector strikes over lengthy contract negotiations with the provincial government.
Many offices were closed today as workers walked out including the CSST, which represents healthcare workers, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) and the Quebec Renevue Agency.
At Georges Vanier high school in Laval, teachers were protesting in the early morning gathering around a fire during the chilly demonstrations.
They say the government’s offer is even frostier than the cold weather .
Teachers are asking for a 13.5 per cent salary raise while Quebec has come back with a three per cent increase.
“They’re offering us zero per cent for the first year and zero per cent for the second year and then one per cent,” said Claude Plourde, a Grade 11 teacher.
“Our students who work at McDonalds get better increases in salary than we do right now.”
While workers have been without a contract since the spring, the government says that the two sides were getting close to a deal and the timing is only setting that process back.
“I think that this strike movement is regreattable- even if we expected it and it’s legitimate,” said Treasury Board head Martin Coiteux.
“It’s regrettable because we were making and still are making progress at the negotiation tables.”
The big question now is how long will these protests last before a contract is negotiated.
READ MORE: Day one of rotating strikes kicks off in West Island schools
The teachers at Georges Vanier said “as long as it takes”.
“The teachers are telling us that they want to make some gains and they’re not willing to back down at all,” said union representative Frédéric Sauvé .
“What we’re hearing from them is they want to fight all the way.”
More strike days are planned later this week including at many English school boards.
As for how long the strike will last? That remains up to the union and the government.
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