News

CITY HALL PRESS CONFERENCE

Tues., Oct. 7 – press conference at City Hall

At the opening of negotiations to secure a first contract for the city’s 28,000 newly organized home child care providers, UFT President Randi Weingarten stressed the need to improve the salaries and working conditions of “our children’s first teachers,” if we are to improve the learning conditions and educational opportunities of the 60,000 children in their care.

Provider’s Choice checks for $150 will be in the mail for 10,000 providers in the next two weeks. Funds must only be used for supplies to improve home-based day-care providers’ programs.

ACORN will provide free tax preparation services for providers.

The Providers’ Leadership Committee has completed nominations for interim officers to lead the Providers as they head into negotiations for the first contract.

Market rate, the rate set by the state to pay for the subsidized children the newly organized UFT providers care for 10 to 11 hours a day, has finally gone up for some providers. Unfortunately providers haven’t received the raise because the city claims it has no money. At a recent press conference on Jan. 23 at UFT headquarters, providers called on the state legislature to pass the budget with the increased spending earmarked for child care and gathered market rate form to send to ACS.

Close to 100 family child care provider leaders spent a busy day learning about the negotiating process that will win them their first contract at a daylong retreat on Jan. 12 at UFT headquarters.

Home child care providers make historic decision to join UFT by vote of 8,382-96