WHEREAS:
There is a need for affordable, quality childcare for our members and families all across the country; and

WHEREAS:
In a 2005 AFSCME survey to over 1,000 members nationally, 39% said they had children under the age of 18 living in their households; and

WHEREAS:
33% of New York's District Council 37's 125,000 membership are estimated to be single parents and 25,000 members have children below the age of 13; and

WHEREAS:
In most European countries childcare for working parents is more readily available and productivity in those countries has been enhanced by childcare; and in New York City a study done by Childcare, Inc. in private hospitals where their union has a childcare fund enabling their members to get access to services, productivity was shown to increase; and

WHEREAS:
A recent study showed that early learning gained from pre-school childcare generated roughly $4 for every $1 invested, and decreased behavioral problems and crime, and increased productivity and academic achievement; and

WHEREAS:
There are long waiting lists across the country for families to gain access to affordable childcare because demand has outstripped supply; and

WHEREAS:
Subsidy rates and eligibility salary ceilings for childcare are not in keeping with the current market in most states; and

WHEREAS:
There is a shortage of funding and capacity for welfare recipients to obtain childcare, thus threatening their ability to continue to work; and
 
WHEREAS:
AFSCME DC 37 working with the New York Central Labor Council has successfully lobbied the state for childcare subsidies in various neighborhoods throughout New York City that lifted the salary ceiling requirements, enabling union members to be able to obtain quality, more affordable childcare services; and

WHEREAS:
DC 37 members at Bellevue Hospital have successfully led a "public-private partnership" with a non-profit provider that built an on-site 24-hour childcare center that opened May 1, 2006, funded by tax dollars, which is being staffed by AFSCME members from DC 1707 and CSEA, the first of its kind in the city; and

WHEREAS:
DC 37 has negotiated with the city administration a pilot project to search for adequate space to build on-site childcare centers at city agencies funded by private grants.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates will support and where possible initiate legislation that calls for increasing the availability of subsidized childcare centers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates will support and where possible, work by legislation, collective bargaining and/or in coalitions to construct childcare centers on work sites and in communities near worksites and seek ways to work with existing providers to expand their centers into worksites including providing 24 hour services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates will work in such coalitions with understanding that staffing for such centers be unionized, of the highest quality, and fairly compensated in comparison with unionized elementary education personnel; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates will support and where possible, initiate legislation that calls for increasing and updating both the subsidy levels and subsidy salary ceilings so as to make sure a larger portion of our membership and the public become eligible for subsidized childcare; and
 
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME and its affiliates continue to support and where possible initiate legislation that calls for increased childcare subsidies to needy welfare recipients, and the capital money to expand capacity and access; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That we work in coalitions with those in need, other unions, politicians, advocacy groups, our work institutions and providers of childcare in order to fulfill our needs for affordable, quality childcare.
 
SUBMITTED BY: Ralph Palladino, 2nd Vice President and Delegate
Eddie Rodriguez, President and Delegate
AFSCME Local 1549, Council 37
New York