No break for Quebec public sector talks
Last Updated: Friday, April 2, 2010 | 1:38 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Treasury Board president Monique Gagnon-Tremblay says there has been significant progress in talks over the past week. (CBC)Intense negotiations between the Quebec government and the common union front representing most of the province’s public sector workers will continue over the Easter weekend, Treasury Board president Monique Gagnon-Tremblay said Thursday.
During a meeting Monday night, both sides said they would continue talks in hopes of reaching a settlement in early April.
Over the past few days, there has been significant progress, said Gagnon-Tremblay.
The Quebec government is proposing a seven per cent increase in the cost of salaries and benefits over a five-year period, while the unions are seeking 11.25 per cent over three years.
The difference between the two sides is more than $5 billion, according to the Treasury Board.
The collective agreement for the province’s nearly 500,000 public sector workers expired March 31.
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