Union backs universal childcare and SureStart expansion as General
Secretary joins Labour campaign trail
GMB has backed Labour’s early years plans as
‘gamechanging’ for working families.
Speaking in Birmingham alongside Labour's Shadow
Education Secretary , GMB General Secretary Tim
Roache welcomed Labour's plans to expand free childcare and
invest in early years.
GMB represents thousands of school support staff,
carers and foster carers alongside hundreds of thousands of
working people who juggle childcare and work responsibilities on
a daily basis.
Tim Roache joined the Shadow Education Secretary at
Castle Vale Children’s Centre to welcome the policy and
speak to children, parents and workers in the
sector.
This visit comes on the heels of the union
criticising government plans to axe free school dinners and put
at risk up to 17,000 jobs in school catering.
[1]
Investment in early years - from education, to
childcare, to helping struggling parents find the confidence and
skills they need to raise their kids - is something GMB has long
been vocal about.
Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary
said:
“Investing in early years is so hugely important and
Labour's early years plans do just that.
“If we invest in our kids - and those who look after
them - at the earliest opportunity, all of us will feel the
benefit.
“Too many working parents struggle to make ends meet
when they've paid for childcare, and in a climate where insecure
work is on the rise it's harder and harder for parents on agency
or zero hours contracts to plan.
“Labour’s policies will be a gamechanger for working
families.
“I don't even think this is radical, it's common
sense.
“More and better childcare, treating those who care
for our kids as professionals and getting back to the real
purpose of SureStart - we'll have some of
that.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
[1] Nearly 17,000 school dinner staff face redundancy
thanks to Tory plans to scrap free lunches
The Tory manifesto pledges to end free lunches for
five to seven year olds and replace them with breakfast
instead
