Home daycare workers to strike May 1

Unhappy with collective-agreement negotiations with the government, 3,000 CSN-unionized daycare workers will participate in a strike on May 1.

Home daycare workers who are part of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) have reached an agreement with the government. In January, they voted 66 per cent in favour of an offer made by the Ministry of Families.

However, officials with childcare services with CSN say they are insulted by government offers and claim their negotiations have stalled outright.

“We had 35 bargaining sessions and four mediation sessions. We even requested arbitration — they said no,” said Lucie Longchamps, a member of the negotiating committee. “There is a lack of good will. We will strike on May 1 because we have no choice.”

At a press conference Tuesday, Longchamps said Centre de Petit Enfances teachers get more paid vacations days.

“We will not accept 14 cents a day per child. That guarantees poverty for the next five years,” she said.