Quebec education administrators are sounding the alarm over a mounting “silent crisis” as they face wage disparities that have some subordinates earning equal or higher salaries than their supervisors.
Six provincial associations representing school principals, vice-principals and administrators issued a joint statement last Thursday denouncing what they describe as ongoing government indifference to their working conditions and vital role in the education system.
“This inequitable treatment has led to an absurd situation: the employees we supervise sometimes earn as much, or even more than, the members we represent,” said the coalition of administrator associations.
The groups revealed they have been requesting meetings with government officials to discuss remuneration issues since April 2023, but their appeals have gone unanswered while other education sector employees have secured improved working conditions.
“After four months of discussions, the government remains inflexible and has shown no willingness to consider the sectoral demands of the administrators responsible for supervising various school personnel,” the statement said.
Management crisis intensifying
The coalition warned that diminishing salary gaps or outright salary inversion is threatening the sustainability of Quebec’s education system by compromising the attractiveness of leadership positions.
Management positions are increasingly difficult to fill, departures are multiplying, and burnout is becoming commonplace among school administrators, according to the statement.
The administrators noted they are among the lowest-paid education leaders in Canada, lagging behind colleagues in other provinces by up to 20 percent.
“We need to catch up, and not just with the same pay rises granted to unionized staff,” the joint statement emphasized.
Increased workload, same pay
School administrators pointed to their “limitless commitment to educational success,” which they say translates to undefined and expandable workweeks alongside ever-increasing responsibilities.
“Can the government fully recognize this contribution at its true value?” the coalition asked.
The six associations signing the statement include the Quebec Federation of School Principals (FQDE), Association of Administrators of English Schools of Quebec (AAESQ), Quebec Association of School Principals (AQPDE), Association of School Administrators of Greater Montreal (ACSGM), Montreal Association of School Principals (AMDES), and Quebec Association of School Administrators (ACQS).
The group pledged to intensify mobilization efforts, warning that “without school administrators, the smooth running of schools is compromised.”
“School administrators refuse to be the forgotten members of the education system,” the statement concluded. “Quebec’s education system deserves better. It’s time to act.”
