Five child care centres in Toronto have been closed since October 5, when workers at Ideal Child Services Group (ICSG) were locked out during ongoing bargaining. As of October 26th, the lockout had entered its fourth week. The workers, represented by CUPE 2484, have been on the picket line as they push for improvements to their wages and working conditions, including higher wages, more paid sick days, better job security, WSIB coverage, and a pension. The lockout follows almost a year of negotiations. ICSG has said it remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement, but in the meantime hundreds of families have been left scrambling to find alternative child care.

Jess Tomas, President of CUPE 2484, notes that the workers did not want to walk away from their jobs.

“Our members wanted to be at work today, caring for the children and supporting the families who depend on them… But you cannot ask child care workers to keep doing essential work while ignoring the wages, working conditions and support they need to do that work properly.”

On Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, ICSG workers marked the occasion on the picket line.

The demands workers are raising point to some of the larger problems facing Ontario’s child care workforce. Child care workers do some of the most important work in our communities, but too often their compensation and working conditions don’t reflect the value of that work.

This is something B2C2 has heard directly from operators and advocates in the sector. Low wages and limited benefits make it difficult to recruit and retain educators. This affects the whole child care system; child care spaces need qualified staff. Accessibility is not possible without improved labour conditions for child care workers.

Funding is a big part of the problem. Even well-intentioned operators may not have the financial capacity to meet union demands. The CWELCC extension announced earlier this month did not include any new wage increases for early childhood educators. Workers in Toronto are asking for better conditions because they want to make child care a sustainable profession. Fair wages, benefits, pensions, and reasonable working conditions are reasonable demands. They are essential to a functioning child care system. If Ontario is serious about building a child care system families can rely on, it also needs to be one where the people providing that care can afford to stay.