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After a two-day strike that proved their commitment to high-quality child care, members of Local 2204 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) today ratified a new contract and will return to work at National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA child care centres on Thursday.

After turning down a final offer from the YMCA-YWCA on Monday night, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) began their job action Tuesday. YMCA-YWCA representatives requested that both parties return to the bargaining table on Tuesday, when a deal was hammered out.

“We believe we have an agreement that should contribute to stabilizing the workforce at Y child care centres and that promotes better-quality services at the YMCA-YWCA,” said Athina Basiliadis, President of CUPE 2204.

The president congratulated members of CUPE 2204 for sending a strong message to their employer “about the ways that the status quo on wages, benefits and working conditions were affecting the quality of child care services,” adding that “improvements were essential to ensure better services.”

Basiliadis continued: “Through building solidarity and standing strong on three picket lines, members were able to ratify a collective agreement that came out of a tough round of negotiations.

“There is much work to be done in child care workplaces, where the child care workers and their contributions to children, families and communities are undervalued. We need to set the stage for the next round of bargaining.

“These are incremental gains and the members will continue to assert their priorities through the bargaining process,” she concluded.

For more information, please contact:

Mary Unan
CUPE Communications
 647-390-9839

Athina Basiliadis
President CUPE 2204
 613-552-5204

Colin MacDougall
CUPE National Representative
 705-493-1951