EXCERPTS
MONTREAL—More than 11,000 daycare workers staged a one-day walkout across Quebec on Monday, forcing thousands of parents to seek alternate arrangements for their children.
The job action affected some 400 daycare centres and had an impact on more than 21,000 children.
In Montreal, many workers, accompanied by parents, marched from the downtown area to the offices of Quebec Family Minister Luc Fortin.
Picket lines were also set up outside daycares around the province, while a protest was held in front of Fortin’s riding office in Sherbrooke.
Fortin indicated he met Monday with union representatives and reiterated in a statement his department is available to pursue intensive negotiations this week.
He also gave the government’s negotiator the mandate to bring all parties back to the bargaining table as soon as possible.
“I deplore the fact that children and their parents are the ones who are affected by the strike,” he said. “Several negotiating sessions have already been held and they allowed us to settle a majority of the (contract) clauses.
“Parents are waiting for all parties to agree to a satisfactory agreement that will benefit families.”
-reprinted from Toronto Star