Once again, the talks are mainly stumbling over the question of salaries. Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel said Wednesday the latest offer to engineers would raise the entry-level salary from $54,000 to $62,000.
The Minister estimates that this increase is close to the 14% catch-up requested by the Professional Association of Engineers of the Government of Quebec (APIGQ). It’s hard to make an average, but we’re maybe 2% or 3% different
she mentioned.
Rise substantial
At the top level, however, compensation would take a much bigger jump, from $96,000 to $122,000, an increase made possible by the creation of a second salary structure aimed at recognizing the expertise of engineers in high level.
Sonia LeBel argues that the extension of the labor dispute may lead to the postponement of work on road structures until next year.
Photo: Radio-Canada
According to Sonia LeBel, this represents an increase substantial
higher than the 14% increase demanded by the union.
Since the beginning of my negotiations with the engineers, I have been asked to emphasize high-level expertise, and in the last two offers, in particular, that is what I have done.
argued the minister during a press briefing.
” I think it is important for engineers to come and sit at the table, to come and respond to the government’s salary offers, which are substantial, I repeat, to come and work with us and to stop taking hostage. »
The government proposal would increase the working week from 35 to 37.5 hours. This is the element that seems to have prompted the union representatives to slam the door of negotiations.
Even though they are on strike, the engineers signed an essential services agreement with the Department of Transportation on Tuesday. In particular, this will make it possible to carry out work deemed urgent on certain infrastructures, including the Pierre-Laporte bridge (photo). (Archives)
Photo: Courtesy of Paul Dionne
Currently, what we have been offered is to work more hours to earn more. These are not pay raises.
denounced the president of theAPIGQMarc-Andre Martin.
As long as the government considers that increasing the number of working hours is a salary increase, we will not return to the bargaining table.
he warned.
An eligible minority
The union leader maintains that 80% of its members will not have access to the more substantial salary increases offered by Quebec to experienced engineers. He reiterates his request to offer a 14% raise to all engineers.
Marc-André Martin asks the government to remunerate its members “at their fair value”.
Photo: Radio-Canada
Mr. Martin recalls that his union cut the pear in two by giving up demanding a catch-up salary with private engineers. To do this, a bonus of 32% of the remuneration would be necessary, advances Marc-André Martin.
We were reasonable in all things [tandis qu’au] Treasury Board, all they are doing right now is small gimmicks pto give as little as possible. There is no real desire to catch up on salary for its engineers
he lamented.
With information from Colin Côté-Paulette and Pierre-Alexandre Bolduc
Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca