NYC child care workers secure long-awaited pay raise in tentative agreement

The tentative five-year contract, negotiated between District Council 37 (DC 37), Local 205, and the Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY), includes a 16.21% wage increase and establishes an $18 per hour minimum wage for thousands of child care providers across the city.

Mayor Eric Adams has announced a breakthrough agreement that will bring significant wage increases for New York City’s NYC child care workers. The tentative five-year contract, negotiated between District Council 37 (DC 37), Local 205, and the Day Care Council of New York (DCCNY), includes a 16.21% wage increase and establishes an $18 per hour minimum wage for thousands of child care providers across the city.

The agreement also promises retroactive raises starting from October 2022, along with a $2,000 ratification bonus for each worker and enhanced health benefits.

“Working families cannot thrive without child care, and to build a strong child care system in this city, we must invest in the New Yorkers who make it run every day,” said Mayor Adams. “I am thrilled DC 37 and the DCCNY have reached an agreement that will deliver well-earned raises and establish a strong minimum wage for thousands of hard-working New Yorkers.”

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This deal directly impacts employees at nonprofit child care centers that contract with the city’s Department of Education, addressing long-standing wage disparities and improving conditions for workers who play a crucial role in supporting the city’s economy. The contract also reinstates longevity-based payments, suspended for over a decade, and introduces additional summer payments for those working in extended programs.

“This contract will impact every facet of life for our members and alleviate some of the pressures at home,” said Robert Ramos, president of Local 205 Day Care Employees. “We come to work every day to take care of your children, and then we have to provide for our own families.”

The agreement represents a step toward parity between early childhood workers in public and nonprofit sectors, a key goal of city leaders and labor unions. It ensures better wages, healthcare support, and career advancement opportunities for thousands of child care professionals—many of whom have seen stagnant wages in recent years.