Kingston, Ont. – Child care workers at Queen’s Day Care Centre, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), voted 90 per cent in favour of a strike, if a fair collective agreement cannot be reached with their employer.
“Our members care about the children they look after, but they also need to be in a position to take care of their own families,” said Barb Williams, CUPE national representative for CUPE Local 2665. “Management’s insulting offer is well below what other area child care professionals have been awarded and is out of touch with the economic reality our members face.”
CUPE 2665 members have been working without a collective agreement since their last contract expired on March 31, 2007. These workers already earn far less than their counterparts in municipal day care centres, and management refused to offer even a respectable wage increase during contract talks, while doing nothing to address the wage discrepancy.
“Management must respect our members’ work,” said Williams. “They also need to make a realistic wage offer that will allow our members to provide for their families and continue working at the Queen’s Daycare – that’s not too much to ask for.”
CUPE 2665 represents 26 child care workers, providing quality child care services and early childhood education at Queen’s Day Care Centre, located near the Queen’s University campus, and partially funded by the university. Mediation talks are scheduled for Friday, March 14.
“We are urging parents to help us achieve a fair contract, so we can continue to provide services that help them and their children,” said Williams. “Management must come back to the table with a realistic offer and prevent a strike that will jeopardize the important services we provide to children and their families.”
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For further information, please contact:
Barb Williams James Chai
CUPE National Rep. CUPE Communications
613-542-2069 416-292-3999