(Montreal) A strike of a few days will begin Monday morning in several early childhood centers in Quebec, after the interruption of intensive negotiations for the renewal of collective agreements, Friday evening.
The unions of the Federation of Early Childhood Workers, affiliated to the CSQ, will kick off Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Those who are attached to the Federation of Health and Social Services, affiliated to the CSN, will kick off from Monday to Thursday.
As for the Quebec Service Employees Union (SQEES), affiliated with the FTQ, its members will kick off from Tuesday to Thursday.
Parents may not be at the end of their sentence, since a threat of an indefinite general strike looms, subsequently, in several childcare centers.
Indeed, the FIPEQ of the CSQ announces that as of Wednesday, it will hold a general assembly in order to obtain an indefinite general strike mandate.
Also, FIPEQ demonstrations are scheduled for Tuesday in front of the offices of the Conseil du trésor, in Quebec, and in front of those of the Ministry of the Family, in Montreal, in addition to the traditional pickets erected in front of childcare centers.
The FSSS has also indicated that its unions will organize elections in order to acquire in turn an indefinite general strike mandate.
Still in dispute
The main point in dispute remains wages.
The Quebec government is ready to offer more generous salary increases for educators, since there is a shortage of educators and they are underpaid – by its own admission.
However, the trade unions insist that the “other” workers in the CPEs also receive larger increases. These include, for example, employees in the kitchen, administration and maintenance.
In their case, the government negotiators offer the same salary increases as all state employees, according to the unions – which they refuse, arguing that they form a team with the educators.
Trade unions have also called for more resources for children with special needs.