MONTREAL -- The 11,000 unionized workers at most Centres de la petite enfance (CPE) will be on strike on Oct. 14 and 15.
These will be the second and third days of a 10-day strike mandate adopted by 97 per cent of CPE workers.
In a press release issued Tuesday evening, the CSN-affiliated Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN) announced that this decision was made "after concluding two more days of talks with government negotiators."
"Unfortunately, we feel that we really have to keep up the pressure," said Stéphanie Vachon, FSSS-CSN representative for the CPE sector. "Management must understand that it is not in a position to impose setbacks in the collective agreement."
Many of Quebec's child care workers have been without a contract for 18 months.
During negotiations with the government, they are demanding, among other things, a fair wage increase for all job titles.
The educators also want to obtain the means to provide better services to children, including those with special needs.
Early childhood educators are paid $19 an hour when they start work, rising to $25 after 10 years.
Their union is demanding an average increase of $4 per hour in the first year, plus annual indexation and a one per cent annual increase.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 29, 2021.
