Earlier this week the president of CUPE 5080 wrote to Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education demanding urgent action to avoid the closure of the Melfort Daycare Cooperative in Melfort. Following years of financial issues, daycare management is reporting they do not have enough resources to operate in the coming months and the daycare may close if staff do not accept wage reductions.
“For years we have worked with the daycare management and board as they navigated their financial issues. Our members even agreed to be denied negotiated increases so the daycare could get their books in order,” said Tina Lindsay, president of CUPE 5080. “For them to now give these workers the choice of further wage reductions or the closure of the facility is insulting. They have done enough.”
Lindsay’s letter to the Ministry of Education called on the provincial government to urgently intervene with resources and support to help the daycare navigate their financial issues to avoid the daycare’s closure. The letter also called on the Ministry to stop expanding the number of Melfort Daycare Cooperative spots and locations until their financial issues are resolved.
“The hardworking staff at the Melfort Daycare Cooperative had nothing to do with the financial mess they now find themselves in, and they should not have to pay the price to fix it,” added Lindsay. “This daycare is essential to our community and our economy – it must remain open.”