EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS DESERVE EQUAL PAY

The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) believes that “Nova Scotia’s children deserve the best possible start in life to help them develop to their full potential.”

All early childhood educators in Nova Scotia are under the umbrella of, and are classified by, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The same Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework is currently being delivered in all child-care centres and early school years programs.

An early childhood educator plans, implements, facilitates and reflects on activities throughout the day. The children enter a flexible environment that promotes learning though play. Legislation, standards and regulations in child-care centres are every bit as stringent as those in pre-primary programs, but there is one striking difference between the two groups. Wages and benefits for early childhood educators vary greatly depending on whether they work in a child-care centre or a preprimary program, even though they are doing the same job. All early childhood educators deserve decent wages and access to governmentrun benefits and pension plans regardless of whether they work in a child-care centre or a pre-primary program. Equal work deserves equal pay. Margot Nickerson President, CUPE Local 4745 (On behalf of the early childhood educators of CUPE Local 4745)