Faces of the Quebec public sector strike
Teachers, health care professionals and civil servants speak out about this week's walkouts
Quebec public sector workers are holding rotating strikes throughout the week in the wake of stalled negotiations with the provincial government.
Teachers, health care workers and civil servants have not had a contract since April. Frustrated, they have voted overwhelmingly in favour of rotating strike mandates, divided by region.
- Striking Quebec public sector workers cause disruptions in Montreal
- Quebec public sector worker strikes: Everything you need to know
CBC spoke to some of the faces behind the walkouts and why they are protesting across Quebec this week.
Barbara Meredith
The 45-year-old from Laval has worked for Quebec's workplace health and safety board, the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST), since 2008. She told CBC that she is frustrated by the stall in contract negotiations
The province is trying to cut benefits while taking salary increases, said Meredith.
She hopes that Montrealers will support public sector workers as they try to negotiate with the government.
Jean-Pierre Grenier
A teacher at St. Patrick's High School in Quebec City, Grenier said his students are directly affected by government cutbacks.
"Kids have been struggling, services have been cut, and we're starting to feel the effects in the classroom," said Grenier.
Grenier said that he has a handful of students who need additional support and that he lacks support staff.
"It's been a slow erosion of services, and I think we've had enough of this," said Grenier.
Aurian Haller
Haller, an arts consultant with the Central Quebec School Board, demonstrated in Quebec City on Tuesday. He said that it is important for people to support those who help and teach students.
"Lots of my friends are that extra help for those students in need, and it's really important," said Haller.
Haller brought his young daughter to a demonstration because he told her it was important to support her classmates.
"I come from a teaching family. Everybody knows how important it is to support staff who work with teachers."
Stacey Monk
A teacher from Cedarcrest Elementary School at the English Montreal School Board, Monk explained the walkout on social media.
Monk took to Facebook to dispel rumours of teachers being paid during the rotating strikes.
"We are relinquishing 2.5 per cent of our yearly salary in order to stand with our colleagues and say ENOUGH, we can not, and will not take any more," wrote Monk.
She goes on to write that "budgets are being cut, our buildings are in disrepair and children with special needs are only increasing in our classrooms, with less and less in terms of resources to help them succeed."
The post was shared more than 4,000 times on the first day of its publication.