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The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) will be seeking a strike mandate from 160 Early Childhood Educators at The University of British Columbia (UBC) Child Care Services after negotiations broke down on November 28.
The vote started at a meeting held today. Balloting will close seven days after today.
BCGEU child care professionals at UBC are seeking an improved wage scale that reflects UBC Child Care Services role as a professional body of the University. "Quality child care services help UBC recruit and retain outstanding faculty and staff. This reality must be reflected in the pay scales for its Early Childhood Educators," says BCGEU UBC Child Care Services Bargaining Coordinator Tom Kertes.
"Wages must reflect the skills, training and value provided by UBC Early Childhood Educators, given that they are college trained and government certified professionals," says BCGEU Local 303 Chairperson Andrea Duncan. Studies suggest that over 80 percent of our social, emotional and cognitive skills are developed under the age of six.
"UBC Early Childhood Educators are seeking wage parity. Improved wages will promote wage parity in the childcare sector that is 95 percent staffed by women. We have a vision at UBC Child Care of reaching equitable wages by March 8, 2013 - International Women's Day," explains Kertes. UBC Child Care services also open doors for women students seeking education and employment opportunities at UBC.
UBC Child Care Services members are prepared to reach out to the public to demonstrate widespread community support for the continued provision of quality child care for faculty, staff, and students at the University.