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Public-sector strikes: Common front of unions releases details, strike dates

The common front of Quebec public-sector workers' unions has released its full list of schools and health-care establishments to be hit by a series of rotating strikes. In Montreal and Laval, 114,000 workers will be off the job on Oct. 29.

400,000 public-sector workers set to stage 6 days of job action, beginning Oct. 26

CBC News ·
A coalition of public-sector unions, seen here marching in early October, are planning to hold rotating strike days beginning Monday. (Peter McCabe/Canadian Press)

The first day of planned rotating strikes by Quebec public-sector workers is set for Monday, Oct. 26, with 54,000 teachers and health-care workers set to walk off the job in Saguenay-Lac St-Jean, the Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Northern Quebec and in the Laurentians.

The common front of public-sector workers' unions announced on Oct. 9 that its 400,000 members would stage six days of rotating strikes to protest against stalled contract talks.

Those dates include a three-day province-wide strike set for Dec. 1, 2 and 3.

Now the unions have released a detailed list of which schools, universities and health-care establishments will be affected by job action.

Oct. 29: Montreal and Laval

In Montreal and Laval, the first strike day is Thursday, Oct. 29.

Barring progress at the negotiating table, strikes are also tentatively scheduled for Nov. 16 and 17, as well as Dec. 1, 2 and 3.

The job action will involve 114,000 workers at:

  • all school boards, including the Lester B. Pearson and the English Montreal school boards in Montreal and the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board in Laval.

  • all public-sector CEGEPs, including Dawson College, Vanier College and John Abbott College

  • all public rehabilitation centres, CHSLD seniors' residences, CLSCs and hospitals, including;

    • McGill University Health Centre

    • Jewish General Hospital

    • St. Mary's Hospital

    • MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre

    • Constance-Lethbridge Rehabilitation Centre

    • Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre

    • Shriner's Hospital for Children

    • Douglas Mental Health University Institute

  • ​Palais de Congrès

  • ​Legal aid services (Commission des services juridique)

  • Human rights commission (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse)

All schools and CÉGEPS will be closed on that date.

Health-care establishments will continue to offer essential services, as required by law. However, expect cafeterias to be closed and non-urgent appointments to be cancelled or rescheduled.

For a complete list of rotating strike dates and closures in your region of Quebec, click here.

Oct. 28: the South Shore

In the Montérégie region, the first strike day is Wednesday, Oct. 28. 

If there is no progress in contract talks, five more strike days have been scheduled for Nov. 12 and 13, as well as Dec. 1, 2 and 3.

These strikes will involve 58,000 workers at:

  • all school boards, including Riverside and New Frontier school boards, except for Lester B. Pearson School Board schools, which will be closed on Oct. 29.
  • all CEGEPs, including Champlain College's Saint-Lambert campus.
  • all hospitals, CHSLDs, CLSCs and other health-care establishments, including Pierre-Boucher Hospital.
  • The Sorel-Tracy-Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola ferry service.
  • Legal aid services

All schools will be closed on that date. Health-care establishments will be offering essential services only. Expect cafeterias and some parking lots to be closed. Expect non-urgent appointments to be cancelled or rescheduled.

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