Sûreté du Québec union members handily reject agreement in principle
The government’s contract offer included salary increases of 21 per cent over five years.
Author of the article:
La Presse Canadienne
Marie-Ève Martel
Published Sep 15, 2023 • 1 minute read
Nearly two out of three Sûreté du Québec police officers reject the agreement in principle reached earlier this summer between their union and the Quebec government, which included salary increases of 21 per cent over five years.
Over the past week, l’Association des policières et policiers provinciaux du Québec (APPQ) led a provincial tour to explain the agreement.
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An electronic vote in which 90.08 per cent of union members participated resulted in a rejection of the agreement by 59.38 per cent of the votes counted.
“This refusal by members is explained, among other things, by an inflationary context and rising interest rates. However, we had stressed to the government, on numerous occasions during the negotiations, that the expectations of our members were high. Perhaps they will finally want to believe us this time,” said APPQ president Jacques Painchaud in a press release.
The APPQ said it would reserve any further comments, but it would respect the democratic process and the vote expressed by its members. Painchaud said he was ready to resume negotiating as soon as the government “is willing to resume talks.”
Contacted by La Presse Canadienne, the Sûreté du Québec confirmed having learned “with regret that the proposed agreement had not been accepted by the majority of members.” It intends to “monitor the evolution of the situation on a day-to-day basis” and “reiterates (its) confidence in the members regarding the provision of services to the community.”
The ministry of Finance under of minister Eric Girard, who oversaw the negotiations, said it learned “with astonishment and disappointment” of the rejection of the agreement, La Presse Canadienne was told, and there were no further comments coming.
The employment contract for SQ officers expired on March 31, 2022.
The APPQ represents 5,700 police officers and investigators from the Sûreté du Québec.