Today the Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario and Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care are releasing an open letter calling on federal and provincial governments to ensure that the Ontario child care agreement includes a wage grid and strategy to address the province’s growing child care workforce crisis. Over 1500 Early Childhood Educators, child care workers and supporters have signed on calling for:
- A salary grid that ensures at least
- a $25 per hour starting wage for non-qualified staff
- a $30 per hour starting wage for Early Childhood Educators
- a daily rate minimum for licensed home child care providers
- and a commensurate benefits package for all.
- Decent Work Standards that support pedagogical practice, including paid planning time, permanent paid sick and emergency leave days and Early Childhood Workforce Learning Framework.
- The creation of practitioner roles that will strengthen program quality while formally recognizing the value of credentials, experience, and diverse knowledges.
- Pathways to acquire and upgrade qualifications, responding to the needs and strengths of rural, remote, and marginalized communities.
Signatories also responded in comments to the letter’s two questions 1) How has you or your organization been affected by the ECE workforce crisis? and 2) what do you want the provincial and federal government to know when negotiating the child care agreement?
The open letter with all comments and signatory names can be read on the Breaking Point Open Letter webpage.