Child care and labour: Working together for publicly funded child care strategy session

Excerpts from report: On November 7 and 8, 2003, the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC (CCCABC) and the Community Social Services Component of the BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) co-sponsored a weekend of events to help build stronger links between child care advocates and the labour movement. This event, co-sponsored by two organizations, marked a historic step in the relationship between the child care and labour movements. Building on the collaborative efforts over the last decade, the event provided activists from both movements with a 'safe place' to discuss some difficult and provocative questions. The results speak for themselves. Participants left informed, energized and optimistic about what can be accomplished by working together. In the face of setbacks, cut-backs and defeats, the strategy session was positive, productive and progressive. Some actions are already underway. The Coalition of Child Care Advocates has formally adopted a policy of promoting unionization as part of a strategy for achieving the goal of a publicly funded, not-for-profit, high quality, accessible, affordable child care system.