Hiring freeze: we are being forced to watch the same bad movie again

At this time a year ago, we were preparing Common Front pressure tactics to secure better working conditions for public sector workers. The President of the Treasury Board kept saying she needed flexibility to provide better services to the public. All parties watered down their demands to achieve these objectives.

On October 24, 2024, we learned from the media at the end of the day that the Quebec government was implementing a hiring freeze, starting on November 1, 2024. School service centers and school boards were excluded from the freeze.

And then a dramatic turn of events today. We learned, during a brief meeting called at the last minute, that there would indeed be a hiring freeze for school support staff. Staff who work in direct services to students will be excluded.

But not only is the Ministry of Education not able to identify which job classes will be considered direct services to students, it will also create an expert review committee with a mission to establish a list of staff who can no longer be recruited.

The ministry hypocritically assures us that this recruitment freeze will have no impact, or almost no impact on students. You must have a very poor understanding of the education network to make such a statement.

We are continuing our representations to the government. We’ll keep you informed.