Strike threat in Quebec daycares

Thousands of early childhood workers could walk out this fall to put pressure on François Legault’s government.

Educators affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), who work in early childhood centres (CPE) and in family settings, are denouncing the slow pace of negotiations for the renewal of their collective agreements, which expired a year and a half ago.

Educators want better working conditions and pay rises. Pressure tactics could affect tens of thousands of families.

I think we were patient enough. We waited. We gave negotiation a chance. Enough is enough.

Ms. Grenon says her members will launch progressive strikes this fall if negotiations with the Quebec government continue to stall and remain fruitless.

There is no date, but you will probably be able to see us with our signs and trumpets on the street very soon in the fall.she advises.

Another strike mandate

After obtaining a strike mandate from its 3,000 female workers employed by CPEthe Federation now wants to have another of its 9000 union members in a regulated and subsidized family environment to increase its strike force.

Family leaders will hold meetings in the coming weeks to equip themselves with leverage to advance talks with the government.

We sincerely believe that we can have the strength in numbers to be able to win our case with the government.

She claims that the union members of CPE and those in family daycares could possibly walk out at the same time and trigger progressive strikes.

These are strikes where the CPE would open a little later than the usual time to put pressure on the government. CPE which opens at 7am could open one day at 8am or 9am to get to a half-day strikeshe maintains.

Around 60,000 children and their families are said to be affected by such pressure tactics.

The 3000 workers of the CPEaffiliated with the CSQvoted 85% in favor of a strike mandate. They want better working conditions and wage increases. The collective agreements expired on March 31, 2023.

Insufficient offers

The Federation, which represents a total of 12,000 union members, believes that the offers tabled by the Legault government so far are insufficient to address the financial pressures exerted by inflation and to stem the labour shortage in the sector. Quebec has offered them a 12.7% increase over five years.

The president of the Federation deplores the fact that the negotiations are dragging on and that the CAQ government is not doing more to advance the talks, even though it wants to offer all children a place in daycare and there are great needs in the network.

If you want to promise places to Quebec families, you need workers. To improve working conditions, to attract the next generation and keep our workers in their jobs, the best way is to negotiate good working conditions. […] Yes, there is the salary, but there is massive exhaustion among the workers.she says.

Valérie Grenon adds: There seems to be an inconsistency at the moment with the Legault government.

Other trade union organizations represent workers in this sector of activity.