Rally in Durham calls for higher pay for childcare workers
Dozens of people gathered at a rally Monday in Durham are calling for higher pay for childcare workers, a group so many families depend on.
The rally started at 5 p.m. at Forest Hills Park, located at 1639 University Drive. The event was open to the public, and families with young children and those who work in early childhood education are especially encouraged to attend.
"The message is invest in child care, parents, families, and most of all, children," Joy Lampkin Foster said.
A new release for the event, called, "Imagine a Day Without Childcare," reads, "This day of action will address how gender roles and inadequate worker protections historically undervalue labor. The event will include speeches, activities for children and opportunities for community members to get involved."
Similar events will be held across the country on Monday, and some daycare workers were expected to not come to work in protest.
"Child care is an equity issue," Danielle Caldwell said. "I think our legislator see it as an extension of women's work, so we have been woefully underfunded for decades."
The median wage for childcare center staff in North Carolina is currently $12 per hour, according to a statewide study, while the living wage for one adult with no children in North Carolina is $21.56 per hour, according to the Living Wage Institute.
The median wage for people who offer childcare at home is even lower, only $9 per hour.
Ford said the average pay for a preschool teacher in this state is $14 per hour, far less than they could make in retail or customer service.
Monday's rally comes as COVID-19 funding for childcare is about to expire. Without that funding, experts say more than 1,000 childcare centers could risk closing. Organizers are asking lawmakers to approve $300 million to replace stabilization grants in June.
In April, state child development and early education director Ariel Ford told WRAL News changes need to be made across the system to keep it financially viable, including changing the rating system for child care programs, increasing the value of state child-care subsidies, and increasing the pay and benefits for teachers and staff.
Several people are expecting childcare fees to increase by 88% once the funding runs out. The increase could cost families with infants or toddlers an additional $13,000 each year. Additionaly, parents with preschoolers could pay $11,700 more and parents with school-aged children could pay $9,100 more each year.
According to a survey of childcare providers in North Carolina from Well World Solutions, 29% of providers expect to close when the grants disappear, which means more than 91,000 openings for children at daycares could be lost.
"Without a doubt, it will be slightly devastating," Debra Derr with the NC Chamber said. "There are people who are having to scale back their time in the workforce because they have children who they have to make sure are healthy at home."
Families and childcare providers will take their message to state lawmakers again for a rally outside the North Carolina General Assembly on Thursday.
"If these child care centers close down, that means so many of us can't go to work, or so many of us have to cutback hours," North Carolina Child Care Referral and Resource Council leader Janet Singerman.
