CUPE 2484 Members Mark Child Care Worker Appreciation Day on Picket Lines as Another Child Care Strike Looms in Toronto

TORONTO — CUPE 2484 members at Ideal Child Services Group (ICSG) are recognizing Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day on picket lines as they remain locked out by their employer for a third week, while other Local 2484 members at Start Right Child Care Centre are spending the day preparing to strike as early as next week, raising the possibility that even more Toronto child care workers could be off the job in their fight for a fair agreement.

Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day is a day to recognize the skilled professionals who care for children, support families and help communities thrive. But today those words ring hollow for the CUPE 2484 members either on picket lines or preparing to strike as their employers continue to refuse to provide the wages and working conditions they deserve.

“Child care workers hear a lot about how important they are, especially on a day like today, but appreciation cannot just be a few nice words or a social media post,” said Jess Tomas, president of CUPE 2484. “If these employers truly value these workers, they need to show it at the bargaining table. That means fair wages, decent benefits and working conditions that recognize the skill and dedication these jobs demand.”

At ICSG, some workers earn more than $10 an hour less than their unionized counterparts at other child care centres just blocks away. Workers are fighting for fair wages, more paid sick days, WSIB coverage and a pension, basic protections that many other CUPE 2484-represented workplaces already provide.

CUPE 2484 says the lockout and resulting child care disruptions could have been avoided if the employer had engaged meaningfully in negotiations.

“Our members want to be back at work, caring for children and supporting families,” said Tomas. “They are asking for a fair deal and the basic protections they need to support themselves and their families. The employer needs to stop talking about how much it values child care and start demonstrating that value through its actions.”

The potential for further job action at Start Right Child Care Centre shows that CUPE 2484 members at ICSG are not alone when it comes to the broader challenges facing child care workers. When wages fall behind the cost of living and workers lack basic protections, the consequences extend beyond any single workplace. Workers struggle to remain in the sector, families face uncertainty and children risk losing the consistency and continuity that are so important to their development.

“Today should be about celebrating child care workers, but it should also be a reminder of what needs to change,” Tomas said. “You cannot build a strong child care system on the backs of workers who are struggling to make ends meet. If employers want experienced, dedicated professionals to stay in this sector, they need to treat them accordingly. Our members deserve better, and families deserve a child care system that supports the people who make it possible.”

The union continues to call on ICSG management to return to meaningful negotiations and end the lockout and urges management at Start Right Child Care to work toward a fair agreement before more workers are forced into job action.

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Contacts

Eric Bell
CUPE Communications
ebell@cupe.ca
(306) 580-0893