MONTRÉAL, June 27,
2024 /CNW/ - In light of the complete
stagnation of negotiations for the renewal of the Cree School
Board's collective agreements, the Association of Employees of
Northern Quebec (AENQ-CSQ) and the
North West Union of Professionals in School Milieu (SPPMSNO-CSQ)
both have had a strike mandate in the past few days to be used at
the appropriate time.
The majority of school staff, teachers,
support personnel and professionals voted in favour of the strike,
which could begin at any time in the fall if discussions at the
Cree School Board negotiation tables do not resume at a
satisfactory pace by then.
Radio silence
"The negotiations are a reflection of our
labour relations: painful. Despite reaching out to the leaders of
the Cree School Board to talk, so labour relations and negotiation
discussions take a more positive turn for the parties, we were met
with radio silence, not even an acknowledgement of receipt. The
school board seems to ignore us and has no interest in concluding
these never-ending negotiations," said Larry Imbeault, President of the
AENQ-CSQ.
"Members are frustrated that negotiations
with the Cree School Board are stalled, while southern school
service centres have been settling for months. Attraction and
retention issues are even more pressing in the north than in the
south, and the Cree School Board's attitude of closure is
incomprehensible. All Quebec
students, in both the north and south, deserve the same
services! " concludes Annie
Chartier, President of SPPMSNO-CSQ.
About the AENQ-CSQ
The AENQ is a union and its members are the
teachers and support staff of the Cree and Kativik school boards,
workers from childcare centres in Eeyou Istchee, as well as
teachers of two Atikamekw band council schools. It has more than
2,000 members working in the 9 Cree communities of Baie-James and
the 14 Inuit communities of Nunavik, as well as in Montréal,
Gatineau, Saint-Jérôme, Opitciwan
and Wemotaci. Five languages are
used in the territory covered by the AENQ-CSQ: Inuktitut, Cree,
Atikamekw, English and French.
About the SPPMSNO-CSQ
The North West Union of Professionals in
School Milieu (SPPMSNO-CSQ) represents the education professionals
of the school service centres of Lac-Témascamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, Harricana, Or-et-des-Bois,
Lac-Abitibi and the Cree School Board.
SOURCE ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYEES OF NORTHERN QUEBEC (AENQ-CSQ)