The series of strikes multiplying in elementary and secondary schools in Quebec has lasted long enough, according to Premier François Legault, who asked union members to return to work “for the sake of the children.”

"We must stop this strike," Mr. Legault repeated as he headed to the Blue Room on Friday morning.

"And this will harm our children's success. The pandemic already existed, so we have to stop it here, please," the Premier pleaded, echoing the concerns of some experts about the potential effects of the strike on students facing difficulties.

More than 800 elementary and secondary schools in Montreal, Laval, Laurentians, Outaouais, Capitale-Nationale, and the Greater Granby area have been closed since 66,000 members of the Independent Education Federation (FAE) began an indefinite general strike last week.

More than 368,000 students have been affected.

In addition, the Common Front – which includes Quebec's central unions, representing 95,000 teachers – announced this week seven new days of strike from December 8 to 14, and a meeting of its leaders with the union council president. The Treasury Department, Sonia LeBel, did not report significant progress on Wednesday evening.

The Premier announced that what is happening now is bad for our children and expressed his readiness to do everything to resolve the labor dispute.

Legault, who mentioned that he has already committed to improving their salary offer and adding support to classrooms, reiterated that he cannot meet the unions' main demand, which is to reduce group sizes. He said we do not have enough teachers for that.

The Centrale des Syndicats du Québec (CSQ) said that [the negotiations] are ongoing and what happens at the table. These statements from [the Premier] do not help.