Childcare Now! The Struggle for Quality, Universal Childcare

Details: Published on Tuesday, 09 May 2017 23:15; Written by editor

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A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 1412 .... May 10, 2017
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Childcare Now! The Struggle for Quality, Universal Childcare

Shellie Bird, Candace Rennick, Michael Hurley

In 1991, 20 per cent of childcare workers belonged to a union. This stands at 21 per cent today. Despite their stated commitment to organize women in the wage ghetto of childcare, unions have essentially forsaken one of the most vulnerable, underpaid and undervalued female dominated workforces in this country.

Universal, quality, accessible, free, not-for-profit, childcare is the goal. But while unionization of childcare workers has increased marginally in a 25-year period, for-profit delivery of childcare spaces grew by 33 per cent in a 10-year period ending in 2014.

The childcare workforce deserves decent wages, benefits and good working conditions -- they deserve a union. But, unions in Canada... have been obviously reluctant to step up.