Half of Quebec’s prosecutors quit their jobs en-mass, province rejects resignations
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (AHN) – To protest the planned provincial back-to-work legislation, more than half of Quebec’s top prosecutors filed Tuesday letters of resignation and sought reassignments. Among those who quit their jobs and asked to be given other positions were four senior Crown and 24 deputies.
However, the province has rejected their requests.
To add injury to the insult, the back-to-work legislation will grant the 1,500 striking lawyers and prosecutors a measly 6 percent salary hike spread over five years.
The lawyers sought a 40 percent wage increase to place their pay on par with their counterparts from other Canadian provinces.
The order would also threaten to impose fines ranging from $100 to $500 for lawyers who refuse to return to work, while unions could be penalized up to $125,000 daily.
To address the lawyers others complaint of excessive workload, Treasury Board President Michelle Courcheshe said Quebec will hire 80 more Crown prosecutors, 40 additional researchers and 25 lawyers. That would be on top of 31 prosecutors needed for the permanent anti-corruption unit created last week by Quebec to address the corruption issue hurled against Premier Jean Charest.
However, to show their disgust over the province’s attitude toward attorneys, the striking lawyers snubbed calls to fill in the 31 new prosecutors positions.
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