Center for the Child Care Workforce to Merge with the American Federation of Teachers

10/10/2002

From: Leslie Getzinger of the American Federation of Teachers 202-585-4373 or lgetzing@aft.org

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 -- In a move that will strengthen efforts to focus the nation's attention on early childhood learning, the American Federation of Teachers announced today that the Center for the Child Care Workforce (CCW) would become part of the AFT's Educational Foundation.

"Together, the AFT and CCW will work to develop an even stronger voice for the child care workforce and the children and the families they serve," said Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "As one united organization, we can improve grassroots efforts to bring early childhood education and child care to the forefront of the national agenda."

The merger comes following a unanimous vote by the AFT's executive council. The CCW will become part of the AFT's Educational Foundation, the 501(c)(3) foundation that conducts and sponsors research and study in educational and related fields. The CCW's current executive director, Marci Young, will become the deputy director of the merged CCW.

"The CCW's mission will remain the same," said Young. "Our merger simply expands our ability to promote public policy, public awareness and grassroots efforts that improve the quality of child care jobs and services."

Founded in 1978 as the Child Care Employee Project, CCW is a nonprofit research, policy and advocacy organization that has led the national movement to improve the working conditions and compensation of child care workers.

"As part of AFT, the CCW will be part of the larger efforts of AFT and the Educational Foundation to advance early childhood education and child care as vital parts of our nation's education system," said Nat LaCour, executive vice president of AFT.

For more information on the merger, visit www.ccw.org and www.aft.org online.

--- The AFT represents more than 1.2 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.