Francophone day care strike shuts down three Ottawa education centres

L'Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens called for a strike for CAP local union 203 beginning on Nov. 7, demanding better working conditions and pay for education workers. (AEFO handout)

A strike involving franco-Ontarian education workers has closed four Ottawa day care centres, putting vulnerable parents in limbo.

The strike has affected day care services run by the Centre d'appui et de prevention (Le CAP), which runs a number of services in the city for francophone families facing mental health, addiction and disabilities. The organization runs four day care centres as well as a number of family and youth services.

L'Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), the union representing franco-Ontarian education workers, called for a strike for Le CAP local union 203 beginning on Nov. 7, demanding better working conditions and pay for workers.

The strike has closed Le Centre éducatif René Tassé and Les Petites frimousses in Vanier and Le centre éducatif Francojeunesse in Sandy Hill.

"Le CAP refuses to grant members a reasonable salary that is better aligned with the cost of living," said an AEFO statement in French.

"A salary rise of six per cent for a four-year contract is unacceptable particularly without any salary adjustments retroactive to the end of the previous collective agreement."

Education workers with Le CAP have been without a collective agreement since March 31, 2021, the union said.

A statement by Le CAP deplored the decision to launch a strike.

"This is a decision that will have a big impact and will penalize vulnerable people," said a statement by Rachel Gouin, the director of Le CAP in French.

"Each day will make it more difficult for families to recover towards a better life, impede on the education of young people in our day programs and upsets families who have to find alternatives to our educational centers.

During the strike, only essential services will be operational, including housing services and youth services at Collège La Cité.

CAP has listed the affected services on its website.