“Showing ECEs and child care workers the appreciation and support they deserve is more than a one-day event—it must be core to this system-building project. This includes fair wages and benefits, implementing strategies for training, recruitment, and retention, and giving workers the resources they need to do their jobs.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (18 Oct. 2021) — Thursday, October 21, is Ontario’s Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. The day draws attention to the value of early childhood educators (ECEs) and child care workers and is an opportunity to call for decent work and pay for these workers.
This year’s theme, “Early Learning and Child Care Heroes,” recognizes the work that ECEs and child care workers have done throughout the pandemic.
Heroes—pandemic or not
Child care has always been essential—not only for enabling parents, especially mothers, to work, but also for the positive impact on children’s lives and on the economy as a whole.
The pandemic simply shone a light on the value of this sector and its dedicated professionals. These workers make an invaluable contribution to our society, and yet they are chronically undervalued and underpaid.
Time for a universal public system
The federal government has dedicated new funds to build a Canada-wide child care system. NUPGE, its Components, and the broader labour movement, together with other child care advocates, have long been advocating for a universal, public, high-quality child care system for Canada that fairly values its workforce.
We now have an opportunity to make this system a reality. And it must be done right.
“Showing ECEs and child care workers the appreciation and support they deserve is more than a one-day event—it must be core to this system-building project,” said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. “This includes fair wages and benefits, implementing strategies for training, recruitment, and retention, and giving workers the resources they need to do their jobs.”
Celebrate child care heroes
For the appreciation day, the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) is organizing a week of action.
- Monday: Nominate an ECE hero.
- Tuesday: Virtual rally and action. Register online.
- Wednesday: Email your MPP.
- Thursday: Appreciation Day.
- Friday: Prize Draws.
Learn more on OCBCC’s website.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 390,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good.
While our Components are located from coast to coast, the office of the National Union of Public and General Employees is situated on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
We recognize and acknowledge the crimes that have been committed and the harm that has been done.
And, we dedicate ourselves, as a union, to moving forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples in a spirit of reconciliation and striving for justice. — NUPGE
