WINNIPEG – Tuesday’s announcement by the provincial government to increase public childcare spaces in Manitoba by 12,000 new spaces, while also increasing accessibility and wages will help strengthen Manitoba’s child care sector, says CUPE Manitoba.
“By ensuring funding for more spaces and by prioritizing wages and training, this government is supporting Manitoba families as well as those who provide the care for their children” says Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba.
CUPE Manitoba has always echoed the Childcare Coalition of Manitoba’s calls for improved funding for public child care spaces.
In June of 2015, Manitoba Progressive Conservative MLA Ian Wishart exposed the PC’s intention to move towards more private child care spaces in Manitoba, which would result in reduced quality, cut corners, and higher costs for Manitoba families.
“We’re pleased that the Manitoba NDP are standing to their commitment to support public, universally accessible child care” says Moist “we know that Brian Pallister’s PCs want to move towards a more private model, and that’s simply the wrong direction”.
CUPE represents approximately 150 employees in the child care sector in Manitoba.