Issued September 14, 2017
Washington—In response to the introduction of the Child Care For Working Families Act by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Bobby Scott, Ingrid Henlon, child care teacher, CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 member, and Fight for $15 leader released the following statement before appearing at the press event:
“Our child care system is in crisis. Families cannot afford the care they need and child care teachers are struggling to afford the necessities for their own families. I understand this struggle first hand. Despite my college education and years of service, I haven’t gotten a raise in over a decade. In fact, I’ve had to take a part-time job just to get by. We cannot continue down this path; things need to change. Our children’s futures depend on it.
“That is why I’m so excited about the introduction of the Child Care for Working Families Act. It is a step in the right direction for families, children, and child care teachers. By investing in child care, parents can get to work, children can get the best start in life, and teachers can take care of their own families. Too often it seems like the economy is rigged against us. This bill will help families and workers come together on a path to win a better future for our communities.
“The child care workforce is essential to our nation’s economic success. And child care providers are not babysitters—we are professionals that help children develop foundational skills that set them up for success later in life. I’m happy that raising wages, professional development and training are part of this bill, as it marks a critical first step on the path to $15/hour for child care providers. Child care quality begins and ends with taking care of the teachers who do the work.”
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