Square One staff ready to strike on wage, staffing issues

Teachers and staff at Square One in Springfield providing early childhood education and care are taking a stand and fighting for a fair contract. 22 News reporter Kaley Thomas joins us live in studio with the latest on the high stakes negotiations. After more than a year of negotiating workers are at a standstill and prepared to go on strike if the counter proposal presented by management later this week doesn't meet their demands. Members of the Square One teachers and staff union have officially set a strike deadline of June 1st the first strike in the union's 40-year history. The action comes after they've been at the bargaining table since March of 2025 calling for competitive wages, staffing support and better working conditions. The offer from management proposes an increase of eight percent retroactive to July 1st with additional increases of three percent on July 1st 2026 and 2027. Our intention in negotiating is to align wages with our local labor educational market provide educational incentives so that as people achieve college credits as people achieve degrees their wage goes up. That includes tuition reimbursement and cash incentives along with flexible scheduling to accommodate employees who do pursue higher education. While union members believe Square One's latest proposal is moving in the right direction they say it still doesn't provide wages that meet the cost of living. The MIT living wage calculator estimates that a single adult with no dependents in Springfield requires $24.06 per hour to meet basic living expenses. Currently nearly all Square One employees including some veteran employees with more than 15 years of service make below this living wage. We have a number of staff like myself that have a lot of years of seniority we've stayed with Square One we support our families and our children and you know we have a number of staff that are you know basically living paycheck to paycheck in a lot of cases. The union argues that better compensation is the way to retain the experienced educators that Springfield depends on. DeStefano tells 22 News they will continue to bargain in good faith as the final bargaining meeting approaches Friday and offer a counter proposal. In the event an agreement isn't reached and a strike happens Square One management assures parents and caregivers that all families will continue to receive full-time care for their children through licensed non-union Square One employees and those who choose not to participate in the strike. All programs and services will also remain in place but transportation will be temporarily unavailable. Working for you Kaylee Thomas 22 News.