Childcare workers campaign growing

#JoinBigStart campaign is gaining ground in Sligo. THE campaign in Sligo to build a strong union for the childcare sector is gaining momentum, with childcare professionals around the county joining SIPTU.

“Big Start” is a national SIPTU campaign to address expensive childcare for parents. The union claims providers are struggling financially and highly qualified childcare professionals are earning just above minimum wage, many of which are laid off for the two months of summer as the government doesn’t cover the summer months.

“We spoke last May to a class of 73 childcare graduates in Sligo IT and out of the 73 only 5 held their hand up to say they were going to stay in childcare, which is a serious indicator of just how critical it is getting. We are hoping our campaign can start to raise enough awareness to make the government sit up and listen, as Ireland has the lowest investment in childcare in the whole of Europe,” said a SIPTU spokesperson.

Their Facebook page is BigstartIreland and more information can be found at www.bigstart.ie.