PEP, June 2004: Fighting for childcare.

Over 25,000 DC 37 members have children under 13. With a coalition, the union is fighting to increase funding to help working families pay for child care.

Recently, Janee Fajardo became an activist for affordable, quality child care. “As a working single mom, child care plays a big role in my life,” said the Social Service Employees Union Local 371 member. Ms. Fajardo squeezed in the time Feb. 21 to get to the DC 37 Child Care Fair. “Hearing other parents talk — it felt like we’re in this together.”

Elizabeth Luna participated in the fair and the March 16 Child Care Lobbying Day in Albany. The new mother, student and activist in Court, County and Dept. of Probation Employees Local 1070 “made it a family event, because I’m doing so many things and child care is essential,” she said.

Debbie LeSane of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549 attended the fair and went to Albany. “Without child care, I couldn’t go to work. It’s very important for the union to keep fighting on this issue,” said the mother of one. Local 1549’s Joanne Berridge is a Dispatcher for the Police Dept. and the mother of children aged 5, 4, and 3. “For me, child care is one of the top issues. When you go off to work, you want to be sure your children are safe. My job is stressful and we can’t take time off from work. We need dependable child care,” she said.

Coalition of unions
DC 37 is one of 23 unions in the metropolitan area united in the statewide Union Child Care Coalition — an effort to organize for affordable, accessible, quality child care. Moira Dolan, assistant director of DC 37’s Research and Negotiations Dept., explained that the immediate goal is additional funding for child care subsidies. “We lobbied for an additional $3 million in the Bronx and an additional $2.5 million in Brooklyn,” she said.

Child care subsidies are critical for low-income families. Ms. Berridge said, “The subsidy is a very big help to me, because child care is so expensive.” Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez spoke at the fair and in Albany. “Our members average $28,000. They work hard to pay their bills every month. We’re telling the legislators that we need more money for child care and better options,” he said.

Municipal Hospital Employees Union 420 President Carmen Charles said that, while she had the need 20 years ago, “The need is much greater now as more women enter the workforce.”

Local 420 member Baldwin Reynolds, a Service Aide at North Central Bronx Hospital, is the father of two young children. “We got good support from the dads for the trip to Albany,” he observed. “Plenty were there and some brought their kids. It’s good when the union stands up with you. You can’t stand by yourself and be heard.”

Claims Examiner Edith Irizarry-Oviedo is a member of Accountants, Statisticians and Actuaries Local 1407 and the mother of two small children. She was shocked to learn that New York is far from first in child care. “I thought New York was the place, but we’re not even on a par with other states.” She ranks child care as her top priority. “It’s right up there with health care. Without it, I can’t go to work. Then I’ll lose my medical insurance. It’s a domino effect.”

For more information on applying for subsidized child care, please call Jocelyn Mazurkiewicz at 212-494-0586.

— Jane LaTour