If you’ve ever listed a product on a classifieds site, you know how frustrating it can be.
Every now and then, a little comedian makes you a ridiculous offer.
For example, you sell a camera for $500. Inevitably, someone will offer you $100. And this person runs the risk of losing your patience.
“100 dollars.
– No, it’s $500.
– OK, 105! And now I’m passing.
– No.
– Well, $500 is a lot!
– No, it’s a good price.
– OK, but it’s on sale for $250 all over the web.
– Well… go buy it somewhere else!
– Let’s see, you are very stupid…”
Honestly, it’s frustrating.
When we look at the CAQ, we get the impression that it uses the same tactics…
With the public sector we made a very low first offer: a 9% salary increase over 5 years. Workers are asking for around 20% in three years. We are very far from understanding each other.
Afterwards, the CAQ made small counter-offers: 9% plus a global amount; 10.3% and we are no longer increasing the retirement age!
We are still a long way from union demands and inflation that is forecast to be 12.7% over the next five years, according to the economic update.
Stop trying to understand why the unions call the government’s offer insulting.
That said, unions have a duty to negotiate to reach an agreement.
Public transport
The government also negotiated in this way with the cities on the issue of public transport.
Quebec initially offered to absorb only 20% of the projected $2.5 billion in shortfalls for transportation companies by 2028…
This is already a lot, the government told us.
Finally, after the negotiations… the government will absorb 60% of the deficit of the transport companies by the year 2024.
We see the same kind of discourse with new public transport projects.
A tram at 8,400 million: really too expensive!
An eastern REM linking Laval, Rivière-des-Prairies and Charlemagne at $36 billion – too expensive too!
But we want to structure public transport…
If the CAQ knows of any economic and structuring public transport projects, please show them to us!
Why so many tattoos?
The government handles our taxes, so it’s normal and expected to do so very cautiously. Especially when the economy is slow.
Public finances are not an open bar even if the needs are unlimited!
But when we see that Quebec’s system is broken everywhere, we can ask why the government is reluctant to pay our teachers better.
Investing in a more qualified, better trained and more efficient society means investing in the economy.
This is one of the levers we have to keep growing our economy! Eric Girard himself recognizes this.
The graduation rate is lower in Quebec than elsewhere in the country, which hinders productivity. And it is not with one adult per class that we will catch up with Ontario!
