While the FIPEQ says it is ready to request mandates for heavier pressure tactics from its members in the CPEs, Minister Sonia LeBel repeats that she wants to wait until the other unions have also submitted their requests before submitting her offer to the CPE. all workers in childcare services.
The Federation of Early Childhood Workers (FIPEQ), affiliated with the CSQ, which represents more than 11,000 workers in childcare services, has given Quebec until the end of April to submit its offers and truly begin negotiations. for the renewal of collective agreements in early childhood centers.
In the absence of such a filing by the end of April, FIPEQ will seek mandates from its members for heavier pressure tactics, “which will possibly lead us to strike,” warned its president, Valérie Grenon. .
Asked about this on Wednesday, the president of the Treasury Board responded that she was waiting for the CSN and FTQ unions to also have submitted their requests. “The government must wait to have all the union proposals before making its submission, because we will not have different submissions for each of the unions,” replied the minister.
Mme Grenon, from FIPEQ, sees this as a pretext to unduly delay her negotiations, even though she submitted her requests last September.
“That’s not how negotiations work”, the government can very well discuss the normative clauses with the FIPEQ – which has different demands from the other organizations – before presenting a salary deposit for the whole, -she argues in response. “There is something else that we can negotiate, other than the salary,” pleads Mme Grenon.
She reports that even for those responsible for educational services (RSE) in a family environment, for whom the FIPEQ represents the largest number of workers, the negotiations have not really started either. In the CPE, “we have no negotiation date [à venir]no date in April, maybe in May,” complains Mme Grenon. However, FIPEQ wanted to pay before leaving for the summer vacation.
However, the president of the Treasury Board assures that discussions are indeed taking place with the FIPEQ. “That does not mean that we are not negotiating, that we are not at the negotiating table with the FIPEQ. But as soon as all the unions representing the CPEs have made their union demands, the government will make an official submission,” assures Minister LeBel.
The Federation of Health and Social Services, affiliated with the CSN, is in the majority in CPEs, while the FIPEQ is in the majority in family daycare services.
The method of remuneration for workers is also different, but FIPEQ wants to conduct both negotiations at the same time. Those responsible for childcare services in a family environment receive a subsidy from the Ministry of Family to compensate for the expenses linked to childcare in their home, while workers in daycare centers are employees paid by the hour.