The threat of an indefinite general strike in the province’s childcare centers as early as next week discourages parents who are already exhausted by the recent walkouts.
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“Knowing that the vote was positive, for me, it’s a big stress and it does not help our morale,” says Marie-Michèle Quirion, who is a nurse at the Saint-Georges hospital, in Beauce, and who blames the government for this situation.
Courtesy photo
Marie-Michèle Quirion, her partner, Maxime, and their children, Florence and Océane, can no longer take the strike.
On Wednesday, the 3,200 childcare workers affiliated with the CSQ voted 91% in favor of the ultimate leverage.
Today, it will be the turn of the 11,000 educators of the CSN to vote on an indefinite general strike.
“For us, it has to be resolved now, so before Christmas,” insisted Valérie Grenon, president of the Federation of Early Childhood Workers of Quebec (FIPEQ-CSQ). Currently, it is not working at the negotiating table! “
The union could go out as soon as next week, according to her.
Discouraged parents
For each day of strike, Mme Quirion has to devote “hours” to developing solutions for her 2 and 3 year old children.
She cannot even take any unpaid leave of absence because it would lose her government bonus of $ 15,000 for nurses.
“We are no longer in the straw that broke the camel’s back. For me, we just added a full glass of water, deplores Gabrielle Dumoulin, whose work is the only income from the house. I am constantly in my role of mother and I alternate with my role of worker and I am neither good at either. “
She also blames the government which, according to her, “does not choose families.”
“Me hearing about the return of the Nordics by the government, it drives me crazy because we are all overwhelmed. “
For François Laliberté-Auger, of Montreal, the days of strike force parents like him to return “to pandemic mode”.
“We try to work with children in the paws. [Mon garçon de 3 ans] wants us to play with him and we don’t want him to listen to eight hours of TV a day, ”explains the father, who says he accumulates fatigue with the days of the strike.
- Listen to journalist Alexandre Dubé with Benoit Dutrizac on QUB radio:
Survive strikes
“We barely survive the strikes and closures of classes and repeated screening,” breathes Ariane L. Millette, pediatric physiotherapist in Montreal.
She explains that the strike affected the services she provides to disabled children.
“We can work out a few days, but in the long term, I don’t see how we can handle the situation,” adds Mme Millette.
“I am hopeful that we will settle without using [le mandat de grève générale illimitée] “, Argued for his part Valérie Grenon.
She promises to inform parents a few days before the walkout if an agreement does not come up soon while negotiations continue.
The dispute essentially relates to the salary increases granted to specialized educators, cooks and maintenance workers.
While Quebec wants to offer larger increases to educators, the unions are pleading that other employees who work in childcare centers also benefit from a substantial increase in their remuneration.