After initially being spared from the labour shortage, CEGEPs are now also affected by the phenomenon, whether it's a lack of support staff, professionals or professors.
The Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) took stock of the situation on Wednesday, at its traditional back-to-school conference before the start of classes.
According to the two presidents and the president of its three federations, the CEGEP community also finds itself with posted positions that don't always find takers, experienced colleagues who have to support new hires in addition to looking after their own work, professionals who turn to the private sector where they are better paid, and teachers who don't always have a bachelor's degree.
"We need people. We don't talk enough about CEGEPs," said CSQ President Éric Gingras, alongside his three colleagues.
"The ministry itself predicts that over the next 10 years, the number of students in CEGEPs will increase by more than 14 per cent. So, not only do we have to keep the people who are there, but we'll also have to train them, and even more in the coming years, in a context where the government also wants to emphasize training, to be able to have staff in all jobs, whether private or public," summarized Gingras.
For example, 150 support staff positions were still unfilled this week in the public college network, while some are starting this week, noted Valérie Fontaine, president of the CSQ-affiliated Fédération du personnel de soutien de l'enseignement supérieur.
Another example: professionals. One Montreal-area CEGEP employed around 100 professionals in 2021, and during 2022, there were 76 selection processes launched to find them, reported Éric Cyr, president of the Fédération du personnel professionnel des collèges.
Another CEGEP, this time in the regions, which employed 55 professionals, held 23 personnel selection processes in five months in the fall of 2022.
As far as teachers are concerned, a new phenomenon has emerged: "We're experiencing a phenomenon that we didn't see until recently, that is, we're hiring teachers who don't have - usually, we ask for a minimum of a bachelor's degree, whatever the specialty - and currently, in several colleges, including city centre colleges, not just in the regions, we're hiring people who only have a DEC (Diploma of Collegial Studies)," said Youri Blanchet, President of the Fédération de l'enseignement collégial.
IMPROVING CONDITIONS
For the four union leaders, the solution lies in improving their members' working conditions to attract more staff.
Negotiations have been underway for several months with Quebec, both at the main table and as a common front, on questions of wages and pensions, and at regional tables, for questions specific to higher education, education and more.
But the gap between the parties remains vast. The inter-union common front, of which the CSQ is a member, is planning a demonstration of several thousand members on September 23. Holding general assemblies for members to cast strike votes is also in the cards for this Fall.
"With what the government has put on the table, with our demands, there's no doubt that there will be a collision. On the other hand, we could avoid it," Gingras said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 16, 2023.
