In negotiations for several months with the government, the Professional Association of Engineers of the Government of Quebec (APIGQ) wishes to obtain the same bonuses as other employees of the public service.
The government has offered engineers 17.4 % wage increase over five years, the same increases granted to all state employees.
The president of the apigq, Marc-André Martin, says that the association accepted the general parameters of increase. However, he claims sectoral specifications.
The president of the Professional Association of Engineers of the Government of Quebec, Marc-André Martin. (EMIL LAVOIE)
“All groups have received so -called sectoral envelopes to solve specific problems to each employment bodies or to each sectors. And we, among the engineers, this envelope is almost nonexistent, ”he pleads.
minister Sonia Lebel guarantees that engineers have access to the same salary increase parameters, to the same sectoral envelope and under the same conditions as the others. “Neither more nor less,” said his cabinet.
A “confidence break”
The agreement between the two parties could delay to occur. Firmly camped on its positions, the Professional Association of Engineers of the Government of Quebec (APIGQ) refused the intervention of a special mediator, underlined the cabinet of the president of the Treasury Board, Sonia Lebel.
“Faced with these multiple refusals, we had no choice but to file a complaint in bad faith with regard to the engineers’ union.”— Cabinet of the President of the Treasury Board, Sonia Lebel
Confidence is broken, says the secretary general of the Apigq, Andy Guyaz. According to him, the climate deteriorated when Minister Lebel made public an exploratory principles public, the day before a virtual assembly provided for members.
-“We did not expect such virulent behavior to us, especially in the current context,” deplores Mr. Guyaz, who describes this exit as “game unpleasant union.
“We explain the government’s behavior badly. Because currently, all that we ask is equity with the other groups, ”insists the engineer.
An assertion revoked by Sonia Lebel. “An agreement is obviously possible, but for that, each party must be available and inclined to exchange,” said the minister’s team who accuses the union of not putting the efforts necessary to advance the negotiations.
Public genius claims its place
State engineers wish to play a more active role in government infrastructure decisions. They believe they are too often “set aside,” says Marc-André Martin.
88% of the Apigq members voted in favor of the general strike in October 2024. (EMIL LAVOIE)
With more than 2000 employees, the province’s largest advisory engineering office sees a significant part of the public projects entrusted to private firms.
“How is it that we continue to use so external?” In the Ministry of Transport alone, between 600 and 800 million dollars are allocated in fees each year to Consulting Engineering Firms. For our part, the wage bill of all state engineers, all ministries and organizations combined, is around 200 million, ”reveals Mr. Martin.
Beyond a reduction in the use of subcontracting, the union also claims a greater participation of its members in internal decisions.
“We would like to be involved in this and assert our recommendations,” says Martin.
