13,000 childcare workers put pressure on Quebec government

After long and difficult negotiations within the public sector, negotiations are set to begin with 13,000 workers in family daycare services and childcare centres – knowns as CPEs.

Members of the Fédération des intervenantes en petite enfance (FIPEQ) are in Quebec City on Thursday to put pressure on the government to start negotiations after months of waiting.

FIPEQ president Valérie Grenon said in an interview that they are trying to get things moving without a strike.

“We’re starting to apply pressure. We’ve started to get our rank-and-file members moving. We’re going to meet with parliamentarians to set dates for negotiations,” explained Grenon.

The FIPEQ tabled its demands in September and, since then, claims to have received no proposals from the Quebec government, in terms of wages or standards.

“We’re negotiating, but there’s no one in front of us; they’re occupying the table,” said Grenon, referring to the government negotiators.

However, the collective agreements expired on March 31, 2023, which was the same for all those working in the public sector.

Grenon speculates that Quebec wanted to settle with the inter-union Common Front and the FAE first, before moving on to the childcare workers, but believes that the government could have discussed the normative clauses with the FIPEQ at the same time.

Daycare workers’ demands

In terms of salary, in September, the FIPEQ had the same initial demands as the public sector common front, such as increases in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with a certain percentage pay increase each year.

The CSQ federation is demanding more support to accommodate children with special needs in daycare services. It is also making other demands for leave and time off during the holidays.

Family daycare workers are not paid by the hour, but receive a subsidy from the Ministère de la Famille to provide their service, the FIPEQ is calling for an increase in the subsidy for them that takes into account rising food costs.

“We can’t wait another year or two. There is a labour shortage in the network at the moment. The Minister for Families (Suzanne Roy) is announcing places and places and places for Quebec families. But if we don’t have childcare workers and if we don’t have good working conditions, those places will never open up,” concluded Grenon.

This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews.