Child Care Fund
Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 2 and the San Francisco Union Hotels: HERE Local 2 negotiated for a Child and Elder Care Fund with the San Francisco Union Hotels to provide a unique benefit to hotel workers who often receive low wages and work round the clock. The employers contribute 15 cents per qualified employee-hour worked. Over the last two and one-half years, the fund has grown to almost $1.5 million. Since 1994, a labor-management committee has worked co-operatively to design a program that best suits the needs of Local 2 hotel workers.
Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical workers, AFSCME and Harvard University: HUCTW won a day care fund to provide financial assistance for members using day care in centers and at licensed day care providers. In practice, the union decides on a case by case basis the amount of assistance, taking into consideration financial need, the number of children in a family and other factors
Service Employees International Union Local 715 and City of Menlo Park, California: The City contributes $7,500 annually to a child care reimbursement fund from which employees may be reimbursed a maximum of $500. These reimbursements take the form of child care vouchers for fees the employee owes at any city-run child care program
The Communication Workers of America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2213 and NYNEX: CWA and IBEW Local 2213 negotiated a $7 million childcare and elder care fund over the life of their contract with NYNEX. The fund will help pay a portion of child and elder care expenses which will not be taxed. Guidelines have been established which will pay for pre-school, school age and elder-care expenses with licensed or legally operating providers.
1199 Health and Human Service Employees Union, NYC, Child Care and the Contributing Employers: In 1989, the 1199 Health and Human Service Employees Union negotiated for a child care fund with various hospitals and health facilities. Expanded in 1992, the Fund now covers 184 institutions and 39,000 members. Employers contribute a percentage of gross payroll. Each institution has a labor-management committee which makes decisions on which benefits to offer. The fund provides a wide range of benefits including cash vouchers for child care and after school care, summer camp subsidies, child care resource and referral, a holiday program, a cultural arts program and a child care center.
American Postal Workers Union and the United States Postal Service: APWU and the United States Postal Service agreed to set up a Dependent Care Fund. The Postal Service will contribute $1.3 million to the Fund for programs such as child and elder care referral services, seminars, education and information services. A labor/management task force will oversee the Fund. The program will be evaluated as to how it improves attendance, productivity, morale and turnover.
Canadian Postal Workers and Canada Post: CUPW negotiated a jointly administered childcare fund. The employer contributes $200,000 each quarter to the fund. The amount of the fund is not to exceed $2 million. However, after unsuccessful attempts by the union and the employer to develop programs, the union negotiated the right to control and administer the fund in 1995. According to the contract, money from the fund may be used to: establish and support child care information programs; initiate research on child care needs; develop and oversee child care facilities; pay child care subsidies; hire staff for these purposes.
