Teachers' union FAE to submit new counter-offer to Quebec government

FAE teachers plan to make counter-offer Teachers on an indefinite strike with the FAE union group are preparing to make a counter offer with the Quebec government.

Quebec teachers’ union the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) will soon be tabling a counter-offer to the government in a bid to break the deadlock in negotiations over the next round of collective agreements.

Delegates from the nine unions affiliated to the FAE met for most of the day Wednesday to analyze the government's verbal offer made on Monday evening.

In a press release issued Wednesday evening, the FAE stated that it had finally decided to table a counter-offer "as soon as possible" to the government, still with the aim of "reaching a satisfactory agreement before the holiday season."

FAE, which is negotiating on its own, called an indefinite strike on Nov. 23. The strike by its 66,000 elementary and high school teachers will continue Thursday.

The FAE's statement came just hours after Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel raised the wage offer for all public sector employees currently negotiating their next contract. The Common Front of unions swiftly rejected the offer.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 7, 2023.