Rally in Durham will call for higher pay for childcare workers

Dozens of people will gather Monday in Durham to call for higher pay for childcare workers, a group so many families depend on.

The rally will take place beginning at 5 p.m. at Forest Hills Park, located at 1639 University Drive. The event is open to the public, and families with young children and those who work in early childhood education are especially encouraged to attend.

A new release for the event, called, “Imagine a Day Without Childcare,” reads, “This day of action will address how gender roles and inadequate worker protections historically undervalue labor. The event will include speeches, activities for children and opportunities for community members to get involved.”

Similar events will be held across the country on Monday, and some daycare workers were expected to not come to work in protest.

The median wage for childcare center staff in North Carolina is currently $12 per hour, according to a statewide study, while the living wage for one adult with no children in North Carolina is $21.56 per hour, according to the Living Wage Institute.

The median wage for people who offer childcare at home is even lower, only $9 per hour.

Monday’s rally comes as COVID-19 funding for childcare is about to expire. Without that funding, experts say more than 1,000 childcare centers could risk closing.

In April, state child development and early education director Ariel Ford told WRAL News changes need to be made across the system to keep it financially viable, including changing the rating system for child care programs, increasing the value of state child-care subsidies, and increasing the pay and benefits for teachers and staff.

Ford said the average pay for a preschool teacher in this state is $14 per hour, far less than they could make in retail or customer service.