Close all Quebec daycares, except for essential workers, union demands

The union representing support staff at five Montreal-area school service centres is criticizing the Quebec government for keeping daycare services and specialized schools open until the holiday break, and then reopening them before other schools return on Jan. 10.

The Syndicat des employées et employés professionnels-les et de bureau, affiliated with the FTQ, says it "strongly disagrees" with the government's decision and believes it would be better for Quebec to maintain daycare services only for the children of essential service workers, as was the case at the beginning of the pandemic.

Monday, Quebec announced several renewed health measures, including that classes in elementary and secondary schools, as well as adult and vocational training centres would be cancelled the following day.

Health Minister Christian Dubé added that elementary schools would remain open until the holidays to allow for vaccinations and the distribution of rapid tests.

School daycare services would also remain open until the holidays, giving priority to health care workers.

"Is the minister forgetting that transmission is also done in daycares?" asked Jean-François Labonté, president of the local union representing school support staff at the Centre de services scolaires Marie-Victorin. "Is he forgetting that specialized schools are attended by a vulnerable population, often at greater risk of contracting and transmitting the disease?"

The union says it believes its members and children are at increased risk of catching COVID-19 because "the issue of ventilation in schools has not been resolved and it has been shown that inadequate ventilation of enclosed spaces leads to a greater risk of transmission."

As Quebec continues to break records for new COVID-19 infections, Premier François Legault is expected to provide an update at 6 p.m. Wednesday, alongside Dubé and National Director of Public Health Horacio Arruda.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 22, 2021.