Around 420,000 Quebec public sector workers will receive salary increases of 17.4 per cent over five years.

The labour alliance representing the workers confirmed today the settlement that led to a Dec. 28 agreement in principle with the provincial government.

The agreement includes a clause that would protect the purchasing power of union members during the three final years of the deal.

The alliance — known as the "common front" — had been seeking a three-year contract that would have tied wage raises to the consumer price index, plus an additional increase of two to four per cent.

Union leaders representing workers in sectors such as education and health care are evaluating the offer, which will be presented to members during assemblies that should begin mid-January.

The proposed deal gives psychologists and specialized workers higher increases than other union members.

The government has also reached a deal in principle with a teachers union that has about 66,000 members — called the FAE — but the province is still negotiating with a major health-care worker union with 80,000 members.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2024.