It is the turn of the Quebec Service Employees Union to announce two more days of strike action in childcare centers, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
This week, the workers of the CPEs who are members of unions from the Federation of Health and Social Services as well as the Federation of Early Childhood Intervenors will start from Monday to Friday, one for three days, the other for two days.
The SQEES, affiliated with the FTQ, had another day of negotiations with employer representatives on Wednesday. The next day, he announced that his members would disengage again on November 9 and 10.
“Movements at the negotiating table are too slow. Our counterparts do not have a mandate. We hear the CAQ ministers say that they want to settle quickly, but that is not reflected at the negotiating tables, ”lamented union advisor and spokesperson at the negotiating table Lynda Michaud.
As for the FSSS, affiliated with the CSN, and the FIPEQ, affiliated with the CSQ, they were still with the government negotiators on Thursday. The FIPEQ has already reduced its demands in the hope of reaching an agreement.
Friday, it will be the turn of the FIPEQ to disengage, after the FSSS on Thursday.
The main points in dispute are salaries, not only those of educators, but also those of other workers in early childhood centers, in administration, in the kitchen, in maintenance.
The length of the work week is also an issue. Quebec wants to encourage educators to adopt the 40-hour week, by offering them a bonus of $ 50 per week. Currently, many are doing 32 to 36 hours.
The President of the Treasury Board, Sonia LeBel, believes that she has already come a long way, by improving her offer, particularly for educators. She even offered to pay them now part of the increases offered.