By JUSTINA RAMLAKHAN

In recent years, scientific research has provided overwhelming evidence of the long-term effects of early childhood experiences on a child’s development. The unsung heroes who look after children in their early years are tasked with educating, protecting, and enriching the youngest New Yorkers.

Members of Local 205 Day Care Employees provide quality, affordable child care in more than 300 facilities across the five boroughs. For the past two years, these employees have worked under an expired labor agreement, leaving wages and benefits static as they continue to show up and provide professional care.

In addition to not receiving a raise, some members also reported wage theft after paychecks were severely delayed. DC 37 advocated to address missing wages at Highbridge Advisory Council centers earlier this year.

Raising the Standard

On Oct. 16, the City of New York announced a tentative agreement between DC 37, Local 205, and the Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) to raise wages for thousands of child care providers across the city and establish an $18 minimum wage.

The five-plus-year agreement offers a compounded wage increase of 16.21% to employees of non-profit child care organizations that contract with the New York City Department of Education (DOE). The wage increases are retroactive, with the first increase effective Oct. 1, 2022.

“We are proud that this tentative agreement provides long overdue raises and a ratification bonus for our members, an additional stipend for summer workers, and lifts the minimum rate to $18 per hour, which is aligned with the public sector,” said Henry Garrido, DC 37 Executive Director. “We also fought for health care and education funding that will help our members take care of their own families and advance in their careers.”

The contract provides a $2,000 lump-sum ratification bonus to each employee, and a $1,000-per-employee contribution toward health insurance. Additional payments will be made every summer to employees working Extended Day and Year Programs. Longevity-based payments, which had been suspended for more than a decade, resumed effective Oct. 1, 2024.

“This announcement couldn’t come at a better time for our members,” said Robert Ramos, Local 205 president. “The economic pressure created by stagnant wages and inflation has taken a toll on child care workers across the board, making it difficult to retain talented and nurturing employees. Our members are energized by the wage increase and the reintroduction of longevity pay.”

Local 205 members overwhelmingly voted to approve the agreement on Nov. 18

“We are the people that New Yorkers entrust with their children,” said Thelma Richards, a Bookkeeper and Treasurer for Local 205. “We’ve had to fight for the same wages that our colleagues in the public sector enjoy. I’m glad that we have a strong contract agreement on the table because we’re worthy of being invested in, just as we invest in the future of this city.”