Quebec government, engineers reach last-minute deal

The Quebec government announced Thursday evening that it has reached a last-minute deal with the province's engineers, thereby avoiding back-to-work legislation.

"I can tell you that we have an agreement in principle that was negotiated very intensely," said Treasury Board President Pierre Arcand late Thursday.

"We've always said that the best way for parties to resolve issues is always by negotiating. [The agreement in principle] will be unveiled in the coming days to members, and for us it is very good news."

The deal comes after last-ditch talks between the government and the union, which represents 1,400 engineers. On Wednesday, the two sides began talks just after 2 p.m., and after a couple of hours, Arcand and Transport Minister André Fortin emerged to say while still hoping for a settlement, they weren't going to take any chances and were getting set to table back-to-work legislation.

Marc-André Martin, president of the Professional Association of Quebec Government Engineers, said he's also happy with the way talks at the bargaining table concluded.

"It is a first step. We are very happy and we were able to meet at the point where we had to meet," he said, adding that he would not discuss any details of the agreement before it is unveiled to his members in the coming days.

Earlier in the day, Martin had told reporters at a news conference that the two sides were only $3 million a year apart. 

Strike averted

Quebec's government engineers have been without a contract for three years.

Among their duties, provincial engineers inspect roads and bridges in Quebec. Since September, they have refused to work overtime or outside business hours as a pressure tactic, meaning 25 structures would have had to be closed to traffic for inspection during office hours, starting today.

Earlier this week, a tribunal ruled that the inspections aren't essential services, so the government can't force the engineers to work overtime in order to complete them.

The government warned daytime inspections could lead to "monster" traffic jams for motorists.

The union says, however, its members offered to resume working overtime.