Educational childcare services: the FSSS-CSN asks the Legault government to invest federal money to save the network

MONTREAL, April 22, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS – CSN) invites Family Minister Mathieu Lacombe and his government to reconsider their impulsive reaction to the federal government's announcement on educational childcare services. For the FSSS-CSN, which represents 11,000 childcare workers and 3,000 home childcare providers, not investing the sums granted by the federal government to save this network is a serious mistake.

As announced when it tabled its budget, the federal government will grant Quebec $ 6 billion over five years as compensation since the province already has a universal educational childcare program. For many years, the FSSS-CSN has denounced the serious problems experienced in the network. Beyond the 51,000 missing places, the working conditions offered no longer make it possible to recruit or even retain the women who work there, which causes a serious shortage of staff and the exodus of home childcare providers.

"We know the state of our educational childcare network, not to mention the state of the thousands of women who support it. It would have been a good opportunity to reverse the millions in cuts of the last ten years which continue to put our network at risk. It is not because we have a model envied everywhere in the world that we had to inject these funds elsewhere, on the contrary, we should strive to be the best example possible of this beautiful model " says Lucie Longchamps, Vice-president responsible for private sectors at the FSSS-CSN.

The FSSS-CSN therefore asks the Legault government to act now by using these sums to improve the conditions of childcare workers and home childcare providers and thus ensure the sustainability of the network and the success of the creation of new places.

"The government must forget its dispute with the federal government regarding the division of powers and put the well-being of children, families and people who work in the network at the top of its list of priorities. We must take advantage of the negotiations for the renewal of the childcare centers collective agreement to break the vicious circle affecting the network, " adds Ms. Longchamps. "For example, we are asking the government to finally conclude  the work on pay equity for the home childcare providers so that they are finally paid according to the real value of their work. The addition of these sums is the perfect opportunity to do so ".

SOURCE Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN)

Jean-Michel Savard, 514-209-3311, [email protected]