CUPE Manitoba Supports Free Daycare for Low-income Families

CUPE Manitoba Supports Free Daycare for Low-income Families

WINNIPEG, TREATY 1 – Manitoba’s largest union announced their support for the Government of Manitoba’s initiative providing free child care to low-income families.

“Manitoba has quickly taken the lead as providing the most consistent, affordable and high-quality child care,” said Gina McKay President of CUPE Manitoba. “We believe this government needs to be recognized for putting the child care needs of Manitobans front and centre.”

The announcement of free child care for low-income families is the latest in a series of progressive and pragmatic child care initiatives this government has taken including:

– Support for retention and recruitment of child care staff with direct wage assistance for child care workers.

-True $10/day child care for every child, every day in registered spaces, unlike the lotteries and scattered approach seen in other provinces.

-A commitment to non-profit child care not seen in neighboring provinces.

“Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, Tracey Schmidt is clearly committed to a made-in-Manitoba, not-for-profit child care system that works for families,” said McKay. “She has resisted calls to roll back affordability initiatives or take a privatized approach that would see American owned child care operators into Manitoba.”

CUPE Manitoba represents more than 100 child care workers in the province and knows that by providing accessible, affordable child care services we are both lending a hand to Manitoba families and creating jobs to care for children – and that keeps Manitobans supported and working.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 800,000 members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 40,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, home care, school divisions, municipal services, social services, disability support services, child-care centres, public utilities, libraries, and family emergency services.