MONTREAL - Many Montreal-area daycares look like they could be closed once against Thursday.
The CSN union announced Wednesday that their early childhood centers (CPEs) will be on strike in parts of Quebec Wednesday and in the Montreal region Thursday in protest to the slow pace of negotiations.
The two sides met Tuesday until 11 p.m. when employers left the negotiations, leaving the union aloe with representatives from the Ministry of Families, with no progress having been made between the parties.
"We discussed issues with the ministry, but not with the employers' associations. They could return to the table tomorrow and say they do not agree with points one, two and four, and then we have to start again from the top," said Jeff Begley, VP of the Health and Social Services Federation of the CSN.
Mr. Begley said that the Minister Yolande James had convened the employers' associations on Wednesday afternoon.
"There are two negotiations, this is unheard of," said Begley.
Representatives of regional employers' organizations issued a press release Tuesday stating that they were always available and wanted to negotiate a settlement with the CPE staff.
On Wednesday, employees of the daycares will be on strike in the Montérégie, Estrie, Outaouais, the Laurentians, Lanaudière, in Abitibi, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Côte-Nord, Bas-Saint Lawrence, Gaspésie, îles-de-la-Madeleine and central Quebec (Nicolet, Drummondville, etc.).
Thursday CPEs in Montreal and Laval and the Québec-Chaudière-Appalaches be affected by a one-day strike.
If there's no progress by then all 8,500 CPE workers will take next Monday and Tuesday off.
"I understand that everyone is frustrated, we are too. Things need to get serious to avoid a strike on Monday," said Begley.
Begley accused employers in a press release of wanting to force the union into strike action.
One issue is vacation pay. The government is offering a maximum of five weeks per year after 25 years of service.
Begley also cited the issue of insurance costs. He said that the fees would be transferred to employees, whose premiums would be doubled. The workers are also seeking the right to have workers on the various CPE management boards, which is a 30 year tradition.
The CAQ opposition party said in a press conference Wednesday that government should put an end to the strikes by classifying the daycares as an essential service. CAQ MNA Daniel Ratthé said that families had been paying the price for the pressure tactics.
CTV Montreal paid a visit to some protesting daycare workers Wednesday morning.
"We really don't want to strike, but we want to keep what we have," said one. "Nothing is moving, this is kind of our last choice."
Another said, "We've been working without a contract for two years, it seems with every step forwards is a step backwards."
A third cited holidays as a key issue.
"We asked for a sixth week after 15-20 years, that means that the average girl will be 50 years old before she gets it, an extra week to recharge those batteries is helpful."
A union rep told CTV Montreal that if both the employers and the minister return to the bargaining table, the strikes slated for Thursday might be cancelled.
With a file from The Canadian Press
