Childcare services: FIPEQ president steps down

Valérie Grenon, president of the CSQ-affiliated Federation of Early Childhood Educators (FIPEQ), pictured at a demonstration in Quebec City on February 22, 2024. (The Canadian Press / Karoline Boucher). Grenon is stepping down as president of the FIPEQ.

Valérie Grenon, president of the Federation of early childhood educators (FIPEQ) and a leading figure among unionized childcare workers, is stepping down from her position.

The CSQ-affiliated federation represents 9,000 workers in family childcare and 3,000 in early childhood centres (CPEs).

Grenon is leaving in the midst of negotiations that began several months ago with Quebec to renew the collective agreement for family childcare providers and to renew the collective agreement for her members in the CPEs.

She left to take up another position at the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), as an advisor. She recounted that she decided to leave because the momentum was there and the succession is assured and in good hands, she confided in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“A lot of battles, a lot of gains, a lot of struggles, a lot of victories for the members. So, I'm leaving very proudly, with a sense of duty done, after 11 years at FIPEQ’, including eight as president,” said Grenon.

Her successor is Anne-Marie Bellerose, who was secretary-treasurer at FIPEQ and is therefore very familiar with the issues.

In the past, childcare workers' unions have often had to resort to pressure tactics. Yet there is a shortage of workers in this field and, what's more, Quebec wants to create thousands of places in the network to meet demand.

“Are they trying to belittle women's jobs? Is it typically women's jobs that have more difficulty being recognized? That's often where salaries are lower. We're going to have to find solutions to make ourselves heard, perhaps as loudly as the men's unions,” explained Grenon.

The current FIPEQ negotiations are shaping up to be even tougher, since the two groups of unionized workers - in the CPEs and family daycares - have already adopted “progressive strike” mandates, initially providing for later opening of daycare services.

“The situation can improve. The CAQ government needs to make early childhood a priority. It has sorted out the public sector, so much the better. It has sorted out the nurses. Now it's going to have to roll up its sleeves and make early childhood a priority,” she said.

Her successor agrees. ‘It's very difficult to get this government to move. It seems that the only way to show them that we're persevering, that we're a fighter, and that we're going to go all the way, is to use pressure tactics,” added Bellerose.

However, “no one wants to go on strike, whether it's the CSRs (those responsible for educational services) in a family environment or the childcare workers. But if that's the only way we can make ourselves heard, then they should know that we'll do it, and we'll be there to lead the battle,’ warned Bellerose.

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on Oct. 20, 2024