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Daycare employees in Laval, Montreal, fight for improved workplace conditions

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5 Jun 2018
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[Video available online, '1300 daycare workers walk off the job']

Employees at 57 early childhood centers in Montreal and Laval kicked off an unlimited strike this morning.

A tentative offer was presented to the union on Monday by employers in an attempt to suspend - or prevent - the strike, but the union maintains that there has been no significant progress in their negociations.

As a result, 3000 preschoolers were without regular weekday schooling.The strike will go on as negociations continue between the workers and employers.

Workers have been without a collective agreement since March 2015, and the union said it hasn't seen significant change or progress at the bargaining table.

Among the issues at hand are working conditions, seniority, and access to personal days.

Daycare employees would also like the option to send casual workers home if there aren't enough children in the daycare.

One worker on the negotiation committee said - although necessary - it doesn't feel good to leave parents in the lurch.

"It doesn't feel good, but it doesn't feel good to have 1500 daycare teachers on the street either," said Tania Valdez. "We're a majority of women, we make between 14 and 23 dollars an hour. Losing salary is not fun for us either - but we have no choice."

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