Following the announcement of the Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, to add three pedagogical days this year, the Fédération du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS-CSQ) is greatly concerned about the physical and mental health of its members.
From the beginning, the FPSS-CSQ insisted on the fact that its members were already overworked, understaffed and in a state of extreme fatigue. That the daycare staff see their task increased even more with this announcement.
In order to preserve the workers in childcare, the FPSS-CSQ asks all of its 30,000 members to strictly respect their collective agreements: taking breaks in the morning and afternoon, respecting childcare ratios, refusing to work beyond paid hours, etc.
“Collective agreements exist to protect the physical and mental integrity of staff, explains Éric Pronovost, president of the FPSS-CSQ. For almost eight months, our members have been doing significantly more than they should to keep our schools running. Where now, with the addition of the three pedagogical days, the government is abusing our dedication.”
“If the Minister won’t take care of his support staff, we will! In order to prevent the physical and psychological consequences that the current situation could have, we are asking our members to take care of themselves by relying on their collective agreements. It is not our responsibility to manage the consequences, it’s a management responsibility”, he adds.
The CSN deplores the situation
The daycare workers’ unions affiliated with the CSN also denounce the decision to impose three additional pedagogical days without any consultation with daycare workers.
“Since the start of the crisis, daycare services have responded, despite the government’s flagrant lack of consideration. This announcement is the last straw”, indicates Annie Charland, president of the FEESP-CSN school sector.
School daycare workers deplore the derogatory manner from the government and the lack of recognition of their responsibilities within our schools.
“A school is a team, it is crazy to want to give a part of it a break by overloading the other, says Nathalie Arguin, president of the FEESP-CSN. The sound of the bell everywhere in the province, represents collective frustration. The support staff is exhausted.”
Still according to the central labour union, the holding of these days will also be of significant complexity, given the lack of staff, premises and the presence of a high number of children during them.
“The ministry must hear this heartfelt cry from daycare workers and organize a genuine and open consultation before making these decisions. Everyone would benefit”, concluded Jacques Létourneau, president of the CSN.
