The conclusion of a final agreement between the Government of Quebec and the 475,000 government employees, represented by the Common Front , is good news . The previous round of negotiations we were accustomed to psychodrama , conflict , invective and leverage penalizing users of public services . None of this has seriously happened since the start of negotiations in autumn 2009. The process went smoothly and we must congratulate the players.

A negotiated settlement was far preferable to second special law. We can not enact the conditions of work indefinitely . Across regions and in our cities, public employees can better devote their energies to the services they render. The social climate should be better to leave , which should encourage the development and prosperity.

The Government had also committed to a compensation framework established at the outset of these negotiations . It is hoped that the implementation of this agreement, all costs associated , including salaries and are linked to substantive provisions such as new hires, are consistent with requests made by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec pre-budget consultations . We ask because management of public finance and frugal a public service that also contributes to increased productivity.

After the recession and in the midst of strenuous exercise of fiscal consolidation , which involves the near future a new effort by taxpayers, the government has managed to maintain a reasonable wage increase to a total of 6% 5. inflation clause should add 1% to the total in 2015. At a time when other provinces and even other developed countries, freeze the salaries of their employees This offer, accepted by the unions , appear to some generous, But should help maintain the purchasing power of imposing a quota of employees. The novel proposed formulas for inflation or permitting the payment of additional sums in recent years of a five -year agreement , if the Economic growth is the appointment are also welcome. They confirm that private enterprise has long been known that there can be no sharing of wealth if there is no creation of wealth . They are , after all, so that the public finally understands that he can be ahead of the parade , but linked to the conditions prevailing in the private sector.

Guest post by:  Francoise Bertrand

A graduate in sociology from the University of Montreal and holds a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University in Toronto , Ms. Bertrand has over 30 years of experience leading large organizations.