Square One Assures Consistency in Childcare Despite Looming Strike

SPRINGFIELD — As Square One unionized staff prepare for a potential strike, leaders of the region’s oldest and largest provider of early education and care are assuring parents and caregivers that all families will continue to receive full-time care for their children.

In keeping with its unwavering commitment to support the hundreds of children and families enrolled in its programs, centers will remain open on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., staffed by licensed, non-union Square One employees and those who choose not to participate in the strike. While transportation will be temporarily unavailable, all other programs and services will remain in place.

Square One management has been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since March 2025, a long process that began with the union requesting salary increases of 60% over three years. Currently, the union is demanding increases of more than 30% over the life of the contract.

The latest management contract offer proposes an increase of 8% retroactive to July 1, 2025, with additional increases of 3% on July 1, 2026 and 3% on July 1, 2027. These wage increases are on par with the salaries of the region’s public school paraprofessionals and preschool teachers with similar education backgrounds. These increases also outpace inflation and the 2025 national average for union wage increases.

According to Square One, the contract also offers significant education incentives, including tuition reimbursement and cash incentives, along with flexible scheduling to accommodate employees who elect to pursue higher education. In the three-year contract that expired in 2025, Square One awarded double-digit wage increases to its unionized employees.

“We sincerely value the teamwork and dedication that has made us the agency that we are today,” said Dawn DiStefano, Square One president and CEO. “No contract proposal was rejected without considerable review, and no proposal was put forth by Square One without a full commitment to continuing to improve working conditions and standards at the agency.

“The bottom line is that we do not have a never-ending pool of funding to tap into in order to support operations and to boost pay for all staff,” she added. “We must do the best we can with what we have and commit to improvements without overspending to the point of placing the agency’s future in jeopardy.”

DiStefano noted that employees enjoy 20 paid holidays and closure days annually and a generous vacation and sick time policy. The agency has made a number of other improvements during the negotiating period, including the implementation of a 401(k) plan with an employer match of up to 4%. In recent years, Square One has absorbed 15% increases in health benefits without passing any of the increase to employees.

“I have the utmost respect for all of our employees and will continue to bargain in good faith as we approach the final bargaining meeting this Friday,” DiStefano said.