Quebec treasury board president Christian Dubé said the Quebec government is proposing to public sector employees a seven per cent increase over five years.

According to Dubé, the seven per cent increase over the five-year contract would happen as the following:

• 1.75 % first year
• 1.75 % the second year
• 1.5 % the third years
• 1 % the fourth year
• 1 % the fifth year

The Legault governement is also offering in the last year of the contract, a $1000 one-time taxable lump sum to employees who have reached the top of their pay scale. About 350,000 out of the 550,000 public sector workers would be entitled to the lump-sum.

Union representatives previously deposited their demands to the Quebec Treasure Board for a pay rate increase of 9 per cent over a three-year contract.

Quebec is predicting over the contract period a 10.2 per cent increase in the cost of living.

In the current contract negotiations, unions reached a settled with the province on a five-year contract with a pay rate increase of 5.25 %.

Read More: It’s Official: Public Sector Unions Want $3 per Hour Pay Increase in the First Year of a New Contract