{"id":5024,"date":"2025-10-30T18:20:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T17:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/?post_type=actualite&p=5024"},"modified":"2025-10-30T18:23:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T17:23:35","slug":"education-hiring-freeze-a-year-of-service-on-ice","status":"publish","type":"actualite","link":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/en\/actualites\/education-hiring-freeze-a-year-of-service-on-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Education Hiring Freeze – A Year of Service on Ice"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-5024","actualite","type-actualite","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"image":5023,"image_tablette":5021,"image_mobile":5018,"push":false,"push_message":"","contenu_flexible":[{"acf_fc_layout":"1_colonne","texte":"Dozens of members of the school and college sector professional and support staff federations affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Qu\u00e9bec (CSQ) gathered this morning in front of the National Assembly to mark the grim anniversary of the education hiring freeze.\u00a0 The federations used the event to reveal the results of a consultation conducted with staff in educational institutions.\r\n\r\nWhile there have been some concessions, the consultation highlights the considerable impacts of the hiring freeze decreed on November 1, 2024, as well as the budget cuts announced at the beginning of the summer. It should be noted from the outset that, despite the government's attempts to downplay the consequences of its decisions, 95% of the 1,486 people who participated in the consultation reported having witnessed the consequences firsthand.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe consultation results clearly demonstrate that the CAQ government\u2019s harmful decisions have very tangible consequences but do nothing to reduce bureaucracy. On the contrary, we are facing severe capitulation. It\u2019s a real obstacle course aimed at cutting spending regardless of consequences rather than allowing us to address the pressing needs in these sectors. Furthermore, the hiring freeze is placing enormous pressure on existing staff, who are being forced to take on additional tasks, often outside their area of \u200b\u200bexpertise. This situation is untenable and jeopardizes the quality of services,\u201d summarized \u00c9ric Pronovost, President of the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS-CSQ), Carolane Desmarais, President of the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration du personnel professionnel de l'\u00e9ducation du Qu\u00e9bec (FPPE-CSQ), Val\u00e9rie Fontaine, President of the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration du personnel de soutien de l'enseignement sup\u00e9rieur (FPSES-CSQ), and \u00c9ric Cyr, President of the F\u00e9d\u00e9ration du personnel professionnel de l'\u00e9ducation du Qu\u00e9bec (FPPE-CSQ).\r\n\r\nStudents with Special Needs Severely Affected<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/strong>The quality of services offered to students, particularly those with special needs, is directly affected by staff shortages. Within both educational sectors, approximately three out of five respondents have observed a decrease in support for students with special needs, or a decline in the quality of that support.\r\n\r\nIn schools and centers, special education technicians and other support staff are understaffed, leading them to neglect certain tasks or work beyond normal hours.\r\n\r\nAccording to FPPC-CSQ President \u00c9ric Cyr, the significant increase in the number of students with special needs in our schools has also been felt in CEGEPs for several years. \u201cOnce we manage to identify and enroll them, we must then give them every opportunity to reach their full potential as CEGEP students. We must offer them the services they are entitled to expect. We are seeing that they have borne the brunt of the decisions made last year. Seeing so many respondents report that support for these young people has suffered, particularly through the closure of centers and support services, is frankly worrying,\u201d he laments.\r\n\r\nWidespread Overwork<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/strong>Respondents to the federation-led consultation said the results of increased work overloads manifest in various ways: 60% had to provide additional support to a colleague, 56% had to take on at least part of the work usually performed by colleagues, 50% shortened or skipped their breaks, 48% had to increase response wait times, 38% performed additional work outside of regular hours, and 26% had to cancel, suspend, or cut services (teaching, research, or cultural activities).\r\n\r\n69% of respondents working in colleges reported widespread work overloads while being unable to claim overtime pay.\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cGovernment interference in hiring is resulting in disengagement and demotivation among support staff. Many respondents reported a decrease in their sense of belonging to their employer. In fact, 94% expressed concern about attracting and retaining staff. The situation is very worrying,\u201d commented FPSES-CSQ President Val\u00e9rie Fontaine.\r\n\r\nThe findings are just as alarming for support staff working in schools: 75% of those surveyed have seen an increase in their workload since the hiring freeze. 73% of respondents have observed a decline in the quality of services for students, and 68% for students with special needs. Nearly 60% must support colleagues or cover vacant positions, while 51% are forced to shorten or eliminate their breaks. 65% feel they cannot fully perform their jobs.\r\n\r\nMental Health Issues<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u00a0<\/strong>The majority (60%) of professionals and support staff in the education system believe that cuts and hiring freezes are affecting their mental health.\r\n\r\n\u201cBehind these statistics are exhausted, demotivated people worried about their mental health. 57% of our members report that the hiring freeze is affecting their psychological well-being, and over 92% report increased stress. This isn\u2019t just a matter of numbers; it\u2019s a crisis,\u201d insists FPSS-CSQ President \u00c9ric Pronovost.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe hiring freeze isn\u2019t just an administrative constraint; it has profound human consequences. It\u2019s plunging a significant portion of our administrative staff into alarming psychological distress. When 93% of them report experiencing increased stress and demotivation, and when work environments deteriorate, it\u2019s no longer a management issue, it\u2019s a workplace crisis. And make no mistake: administrative staff directly support student services. To claim otherwise is to deny their essential role in the smooth operation of our schools,\u201d states FPPE-CSQ President Carolane Desmarais.\r\n\r\nCompletely Cancel the Cuts and Hiring Freeze<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u201cIt is students and the student population in general who are paying the price for the government\u2019s decisions. The lack of resources is jeopardizing their success and well-being. We urgently need to recognize the importance of administrative and support staff and to end this hiring freeze that is weakening the education system. There are so many obstacles to hiring and funding that it would take David Copperfield to navigate them. This is all the more true given that the historic $151 million in cuts affecting the college network have remained entirely in place so far. The consequences on the ground are quite simply dramatic,\u201d conclude the presidents of the four federations affiliated with the CSQ.","couleur":""}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite\/5024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/actualite"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/actualite"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fpss.lacsq.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}