Pass SB 5572 Out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee!

Your help is needed now to urge your representatives to pass Senate Bill 5572 out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee no later than Monday, March 2, 2009.  SB 5572, the Access to Quality Child Care Workforce Act, is a bill related to improving quality, access, and stability of child care through providing collective bargaining for child care center directors and workers.

We've passed the first hurdle - getting the bill out of the Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, and Consumer Protection.  Now it's vital to get SB 5572 out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. We must urge our representatives to do so now, so that the bill passes out the Committee by March 2, 2009.

There are three ways to contact your representatives: by e-mail using this action alert, by telephone using the Legislative Hotline, or by web using the legislative website at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx (follow the links to representatives after entering your home address). 

The Legislative Hotline can be accessed Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM  or on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  The number is 1-800-562-6000.

SB 5572: Child Care Center Directors and Workers in Partnership with the State

SB 5572 will create a new model of collective bargaining for child care center owners, teachers, and workers to come together and bargain as equals with the state over matters, within the state of Washington's jurisdiction, to improve the quality of child care for families.

Our message to legislators is that SB 5572 will:

  • Give people in the early care and learning workforce a voice at the table.
  • Stabilize the early care and learning workforce.
  • Improve the quality of early care and learning for our state's children.

Contact your representatives today and ask for their support. Urge them to support SB 5572 and pass it out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by March 2, 2009.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Pass SB 5572 Out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing you today to ask for your support of SB 5572, the Child Care Center Collective Bargaining bill. Since you are my elected representative, I urge you to be my voice and pass this bill out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Passage is vital to my field - early care and education for the children of Washington state - and to all Washingtonians.

SB 5572 will create a new model of collective bargaining for child care center owners, teachers, and workers to bargain with the state to improve the quality of child care for families.

SB 5572 will give a voice to the early care and learning workforce. The people who provide the care should help decide what's fair. Having a voice at the table on state-funded mandates, subsidy rates, and quality rating will improve the quality of child care.

SB 5572 will stabilize the early care and learning workforce. Its passage will help attract and retain a quality, stable workforce - an important first step to improving the quality of child care.

SB 5572 will improve the quality of early care and learning for our state's children. Quality child care is critical to lifelong learning. The first step to improving the quality of care is to reduce high turnover rates that erode the continuity of care, to provide professional development, and to support the bonds children form with teachers at their most critical learning state and brain development.

Please support passage of SB 5572 out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
February 23, 2009


Background Information

The Access to Quality Child Care Workforce Act will create a new model of collective bargaining for child care center owners, teachers, and workers to bargain with the state to improve the quality of child care for families. As early care and learning experts, we want to be a part of the solution to our state's child care crisis.

  • The Act will give the early care and learning workforce a voice.  The people who provide the care should help decide what's fair and should have a voice. This is the ultimate industry incentive that will attract top-quality workers to our field. Having a voice at the table on state-funded mandates, subsidy rates, and quality rating will improve the quality of child care.
  • The Act will stabilize the early care and learning workforce. Passage of these two bills will help attract and retain a quality, stable workforce - an important first step to improving the quality of child care and early learning. We want opportunities to grow as professionals and the Act will help us attract and retain quality child care teachers and staff.
  • The Act will improve the quality of early care and learning for our state's children. Quality child care is critical to lifelong learning. The first step to improving the quality of care is to reduce high turnover rates that erode the continuity of care, provide professional development, and support the bonds children form with teachers at their most critical learning state and brain development.