Workers at 10 Chicago-area Y Locations Joined by Elected and Faith Leaders and Parents as They Hit the Picket Line

CHICAGO—Nearly 130 child care workers with YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago will launch an historic unfair labor practice strike Thursday morning at 10 locations across the city.

After experiencing repeated unfair labor practices on the job, including threats of retaliation against workers for participating in union actions and failure of YMCA management to provide information necessary to bargaining, workers announced the widespread strike at a press conference last Wednesday attended by elected and faith leaders, parents and community supporters.

Workers will hit the strike lines at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, and hold several public speak-out events throughout the day open to the public and media, with the largest being a press conference with elected officials and candidates including Gubernatorial candidates Daniel Biss and Chris Kennedy planned for 12 noon at the YMCA headquarters at 1030 W. Van Buren.

Striking workers, supportive parents, elected leaders and community allies will speak out at press events about the unfair labor practices which led to the strike decision and call out the YMCA for failing to live up to its stated commitment to “disrupt the cycle of poverty” as it pays many of its child care workers poverty-level wages.

WHAT: 130 YMCA child care and early learning workers on strike and walking the picket line, joined by elected officials, parents and community leaders.

WHEN: Thursday, March 1, 2018

Early Morning Strike Line Speak-Outs

6:30 AM

South Side YMCA

6330 S Stony Island Ave,

Chicago, IL 60637

6:30 AM

Rauner YMCA

2700 S Western Ave,

Chicago, IL 60608

(Spanish-language Spokespeople)

***Press Conference and Rally:***

12 PM

YMCA of Metro Chicago Headquarters

1030 W. Van Buren

(Spanish-language Spokespeople)

Speakers include:

State Senator Daniel Biss

Gubernatorial Candidate Chris Kennedy

Alderman Jason Ervin

State Representative Candidate Delia Ramirez

Leafleting of YMCA Gym Members and Speak-Out

4 PM

Lakeview YMCA

3333 N Marshfield Ave,

Chicago, IL 60657

(Spanish-language Spokespeople)

WHY:

YMCA child care workers are taking the historic step of engaging in an unfair labor practice strike due to multiple unfair labor practices they’ve experienced including threats of retaliation against workers for participating in union actions and failure of YMCA management to provide information necessary to bargaining.

The workers are currently in collective bargaining with the YMCA, who during negotiations called the worker’s proposal for living wages a “fantasy.” The YMCA’s poverty wages create a short-staffing crisis at YMCA-run child care centers that provide care for low-income families. There are currently 50 unfilled child care positions at the YMCA due to high turnover and low wages.