Second day of strike action for 500 workers in 16 Quebec day-care centres [Video]

Around 500 workers in 16 public daycares (CPEs) across Quebec are striking for a second day on Wednesday.

They had walked off for one day Dec. 4, and another walk-out is planned for Dec. 18 unless negotiations to renew their collective agreement with the government move ahead.

The 500 workers are members of the Syndicat québécois des employé(e)s de service (SQEES), affiliated to the FTQ.

Salaries are at the heart of the dispute. Sylvie Nelson, president of the SQEES, reported that the government was still offering a 12.7 per cent pay increase over five years to its members in CPEs, while all government employees had received increases of 17.4 per cent over five years.

The Chair of the Conseil du trésor, Sonia LeBel, has already replied that the 17.4 per cent increases over five years granted to government employees were in return for greater flexibility in the organisation of work, …