http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/childcare-dropoff-s460.pngThe State’s Workforce Challenges and the Impacts of Republican Inaction.

MADISON  — Gov. Tony Evers Thursday delivered the Democratic Radio Address discussing the special session he called on September 20 to urge Republican legislators to address the state’s longstanding workforce challenges by passing his comprehensive plan to increase access to affordable child care and prevent the child care industry’s collapse, expand paid family leave, educate and train future workers, and support high-need workforce sectors statewide. 

Republican lawmakers gaveled into the special session yesterday, but have not yet taken action on the governor’s comprehensive workforce plan. More information on the governor’s special session plan is available here.

Audio File of Radio Address.

Hey there, folks. Governor Tony Evers here.

Last month, I announced I was calling the Legislature into a special session to finish their work on the biennial budget and pass real, meaningful solutions for our state’s workforce challenges.

And I proposed my comprehensive plan to address these challenges, including expanding family leave, educating and training our future workers at our UW and Technical College campuses, and supporting high-need workforce sectors statewide

And a cornerstone of my plan included investing in affordable child care statewide and preventing our child care industry’s looming collapse.

It is estimated that without the necessary investments to stave off the looming fiscal cliff facing our state’s child care industry, more than 2,000 child care programs are projected to close.

That could result in the loss of over 4,880 child care jobs—that’d mean leaving more than 87,000 Wisconsin kids without child care, potentially causing about a half billion dollars or more in economic impacts between parents leaving the workforce and reduced employer productivity.

I will continue to do everything I can to stabilize our child care industry, support working families, and recruit, retain, and train a workforce that can meet the needs of the 21st century.

And I’ll remain hopeful that Republicans will someday get serious, put politics aside, and decide to join us in the important work of finding real solutions to the challenges facing our state.

And I won’t stop fighting every day until they do.