Third week of strikes in CPE daycares

The 9,000 managers of educational family childcare services unionized with FIPEQ began their third week of strike on Monday.

As of Monday morning, and every day of the week, they will open their family daycare service an hour and a half later than usual.

And starting next Monday, they will open it two hours later than usual.

The 9,000 Educational Childcare Service Managers, members of the Federation of Early Childhood Workers, affiliated with the CSQ, want to increase pressure on the Quebec government, with whom it is negotiating the renewal of their collective agreement.

RSGEs do not receive an hourly wage, as is the case for workers in CPEs. Instead, they receive a subsidy from the Ministry of Families, which takes into account their remuneration, but also the cost of food, the cost of toys and the various supplies required for daycare at their home.

Quebec is struggling with a shortage of workers in childcare services and a lack of places. He wants to create thousands of places to meet needs.

The president of FIPEQ, Anne-Marie Bellerose, affirmed that “no one wants to go on strike,” but that working conditions had to be improved today so that the state of the network does not get worse.

The Treasury Board, for its part, says it is determined to “support the growth of places in family settings, promote attraction and retention for a better service offering.”

The Treasury underlines that “since the conclusion of the last agreement, the value of the subsidy granted to Educational Childcare Service Managers has increased by 30 per cent.”

Negotiations are continuing with Quebec, both for educational childcare service managers and for workers in daycare centers.

FIPEQ, affiliated with the CSQ, is the union organization that represents the largest number of educational childcare service managers.