Quebec hospital workers quit strike, return to jobs

The week-old strike of Quebec government workers, protesting wage cuts of up to 20 percent, started falling apart Tuesday, after thousands of hospital workers returned to their jobs.

The hospital workers quit the strike after the government announced a ''framework for settlement'' with their union. Although the government will not end the wage cuts, union president Yves Lessard said he will ask the union's 85, 000 members to approve the agreement.