French-language teachers' strike gives 275,000 students day off
Quebec public-school teachers have been without a contract since last April
French-language school teachers across the province held a one-day strike on Wednesday over stalled contract talks with the Quebec government.
The one-day strike involves 34,000 teachers and affects roughly 275,000 students across Quebec.
- A guide to today's French-language teachers' strike
- Quebec's English school board teachers' 1st strike day likely in late October
Catherine Renaud, the union president at the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM), said negotiations with the Quebec government are going nowhere.
"We have 55 demands," she told CBC News. "The government has 58 demands, and we have zero agreements with the government. Our positions are opposed at the bargaining table."
Public-school teachers have been without a contract since April.
Renaud said the government wants to increase classroom sizes, freeze salaries and cut services for students with special needs.
Thousands of teachers took part in a lunchtime rally in Montreal's Victoria Square as part of the strike.
They are promising to hold at least two more strike days in October.
At Victoria Square, thousands of teachers & supporters demonstrating. 34,000 Quebec teachers on 1-day strike <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcmtl?src=hash">#cbcmtl</a> <a href="http://t.co/0lFXaeNGek">pic.twitter.com/0lFXaeNGek</a>
—@thomasdaigleParents look for solutions
Parents were forced to come up with creative childcare solutions with schools in the French-language system closed.
Eve Kirlin, a parent with four children at CSDM schools, told CBC Montreal's Daybreak she was able to find a daycare centre for the day.
She believes the strike is another way for teachers to make the case that things need to change in the province's public education system.
"It's affecting the children. It's affecting the teachers."
Kate Sterns, who has two children in the school board, said she definitely supports the teachers, but "whether I support the strike is a little bit more muddy."
She said teachers and support staff need to figure out a way to best use the funds available.
"There are so many conflicting issues about the organization of resources," Sterns said.
Quebec teachers promising at least 2 more strike days in October. 275,000 students have the day off <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcmtl?src=hash">#cbcmtl</a> <a href="http://t.co/x1V8ayJvs9">pic.twitter.com/x1V8ayJvs9</a>
—@thomasdaigleStrike possible on English side next month
Parents of students in English-language schools won't have to deal with a teachers' strike for several weeks.
Their unions have said the first of six non-consecutive strike dates likely would not happen before the federal election.
Parents will have a week's notice to plan ahead.
Over the last several weeks, union members at English-language school boards have been voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate.