Child care providers united in SEIU Healthcare Illinois received a 3% rate increase, effective Jan. 1, 2012 that will be reflected in our February checks. The rate increase – the 5^th increase in our current contract, with two more increases still to come – is possible because of our strong, united stand to win a good contract.

“Despite difficult challenges, home child care providers united in SEIU Healthcare Illinois made great strides in 2011. With even greater challenges facing us in 2012, we are uniting to fight even harder to protect our jobs and our services for working parents,” said Chicago home child care provider Faith Arnold.

But our challenges to continue to receive fair wages and benefits continue as the economy teeters because many people still are not paying their fair share. As we continue to fight for working parents, our children and ourselves, we must also demand that greedy bankers, CEOs and the rich pay their fair share in taxes so that badly needed programs like home child care are funded.

Jen Brosnahan, a home child care provider in Joliet, said, “Working parents and child care providers can’t continue to bear the burden of fixing the economy. It’s time that our legislators stop giving the rich 1% a free ride and all the breaks and make them pay their fair share in taxes!”

New full-day rates effective January 1, 2012

License Exempt, All Ages and All Counties:

$14.64

Licensed Homes, Group 1A Counties

Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendal, Lake & McHenry

Under 2            $30.54

Age 2               $29.40

Ages 3+            $27.55

Licensed Homes, Group 1B Counties

Boone, Champaign, Kankakee, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Ogle, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago & Woodford

Under 2            $27.10

Age 2               $25.96

Ages 3+            $24.79

Licensed Homes, Group 2 Counties

All others not listed above

Under 2            $24.79

Age 2               $23.65

Ages 3+            $22.51