The Federation of Early Childhood Workers of Quebec (FIPEQ) announced in a press release Monday evening the holding of strike days scheduled for November 22, 23 and 24.
This announcement comes following a day of negotiations with the Quebec government that took place on Monday.
Although the parties have agreed to intensify negotiations over the next few days, the FIPEQ-CSQ reiterates that it wants significant salary increases for all employment groups. In addition, it is asking for new amounts related to the integration of children with special needs.
“We have been stumbling for several weeks with a closure on the part of the employer concerning salary increases,” said FIPEQ-CSQ president Valérie Grenon in a press release sent Monday evening.
“Since the beginning of the conflict, we have felt the support of Quebec parents for our cause. We wanted to announce these new days as quickly as possible to allow them to find a plan B, despite the holding of intensive negotiations over the next few days. Our team is available until Sunday to avoid these closures, ”added Mr.me Grenon.
The main points in dispute relate to wages and the length of the working week.
The unions want to increase more generously the salaries of educators, but also that of the workers who support them in the childcare centers, in the kitchen, in the disinfection, in the administration, not to mention the specialized educators, who take care of children with special needs.
Quebec also wants to encourage educators to adopt the 40-hour week over five days, given the shortage of workers. Currently, these are often 32 to 36 hours over four days.
To achieve this, Quebec offers a bonus of $ 50 per week. This is a bonus, which is therefore not integrated into the salary, as a percentage increase would be, which is then reflected in the retirement pension, for example.