Mayor Adams Announces Tentative Agreement Between DC 37, Local 205, and Day Care Council of New York to Deliver Raises for Child Care Workers

October 16, 2024

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion, District Council 37 (DC 37) Executive Director Henry Garrido, and Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY) Executive Director Tara Gardner today announced a tentative five year, five month, and 12 day contract agreement between DC 37/1707, Local 205 (DC 37), and the DCCNY to raise wages for thousands of child care providers cross the city and establish an $18 minimum wage.

The tentative agreement negotiated between DCCNY and DC 37 — which covers employees at dozens of non-profit child care organizations who contract with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) — provides compounded wage increases of 16.21 percent. The wage increases are retroactive, with the first increase effective October 1, 2022. The tentative agreement also establishes an $18 per hour minimum pay rate, effective October 2024, provides a $2,000 lump sum ratification bonus to each employee, and a $1,000 per employee contribution towards health insurance for child care workers. Additional payments will also be made every summer to employees working Extended Day and Year Programs, and longevity-based payments which had been suspended for over a decade are to be resumed effective October 1, 2024

“Working families cannot thrive without child care, and to build a strong child care system in this city, we must invest in the New Yorkers who make it run every day,” said Mayor Adams. “I am thrilled DC 37 and the DCCNY have reached an agreement that will deliver well earned-raises and establish a strong minimum wage for thousands of hard-working New Yorkers. With this agreement, we are helping put more money back into the pockets of working-class New Yorkers and investing in our child care system for years to come.”

“Our early childhood workforce works tirelessly to ensure New York City’s youngest children have the opportunity to receive high-quality education that helps them grow, learn, and thrive. This agreement addresses long-standing wage and compensation inequities and reinforces the Adams administration’s commitment to lifting up our early childhood educators,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Deputy Mayor Ana J. Almanzar. “New York City’s families and economy depend on a strong, well-compensated early childhood workforce and I thank DC 37 and DCCNY for their partnership in getting this done.”

“I am pleased to have assisted the parties in reaching a tentative agreement that provides substantial wage increases and other benefits for these dedicated child care workers while remaining fair to the city taxpayers who fund these programs,” said OLR Commissioner Campion. “Thank you to DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido and DCCNY Executive Director Tara Gardner for working tirelessly to reach this settlement.”

“Our early childhood education providers are a cornerstone of our school system,” said DOE Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “The foundational work that they do sets the tone for our youngest children to develop a lifelong love of learning. These are the bright starts that give way to bold futures, and we are pleased to see DC37 and DCCNY reach a fairer agreement for all.”

“Our day care workers keep this city running — their expertise and care for the youngest New Yorkers allows working families the ability to attend to their jobs and other responsibilities. 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, executive director, DC 37. “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. We thank Mayor Adams, Commissioner Campion, and the Day Care Council for working with us to reach this fair contract for our members.”

“This agreement shows the city’s respect for our workers and appreciation for their hard work and dedication. Inflation has gone up for many years while our salaries haven’t. We come to work every day to take care of your children, and then we have to provide for our own families,” said Robert Ramos, president, Local 205 Day Care Employees. “This contract will impact every facet of life for our members and alleviate some of the pressures at home. I want to thank the Day Care Council and the city for coming to the table and working with us on a fair agreement.”

“The hardworking, compassionate, and talented individuals in early childhood education are truly New York City’s unsung heroes,” said Tara N. Gardner, executive director, Day Care Council of New York. “Their expertise and dedication enable child care centers to provide the high-quality education and care our youngest New Yorkers deserve. This is a step forward on the path to parity between early childhood professionals working in center-based programs and those working in NYC public schools, which started in 2019. The reinstatement of longevity increases, the introduction of a summer differential for teachers and staff in 12-month Extended Day and Extended Year programs, and the funding of overdue base salary adjustments are critical steps in acknowledging the importance and impact of this workforce. We are deeply grateful to DCCNY’s management negotiating team, DC 37 Local 205, our advocacy partners, the City Council, and the many city agencies—including the OLR, DOE, and the Office of Management and Budget—for their dedication to this process. We look forward to ongoing collaboration with Mayor Adams and our partners in organized labor to strengthen the early childhood system and ensure that this workforce receives the recognition, compensation, and benefits they have long deserved.”

Members will receive the following compounded wage increases:

• October 1, 2022: 3.00 percent
• October 1, 2023: 3.00 percent
• October 1, 2024: 3.00 percent
• October 1, 2025: 3.00 percent
• October 1, 2026: 3.25 percent

The tentative agreement is subject to union ratification.

The tentative agreement comes on the heels of the Adams administration's work with the New York City Council to strengthen early childhood education across the five boroughs and address longstanding systemic issues, while boosting enrollment. Under the leadership of Mayor Adams, early childhood enrollment is at the highest level ever, with over 150,000 children enrolled in New York City's early childhood system.

The Adams administration’s efforts to assist DCCNY and DC 37 in reaching this agreement builds on the administration’s success in reaching agreements to provide fair wage increases for city employees. In the last 20 months, Mayor Adams has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing nearly 97 percent of the city's workforce. These agreements with District Council 37, the Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, the Uniformed Sanitation Workers' Union Local 831, the United Federation of Teachers, the Police Benevolent Association, the Uniformed Officers Coalition, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Teamsters Local 237, the United Probation Officers’ Association, and dozens of other unions have all included wage increases, including retroactive wage increases for employees that had not received a raise in years. Additionally, many of these contracts included dedicated funding to address retention and recruitment challenges and other important benefits.

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