SFU Childcare Society may shut down for good to end a strike of its day-care workers, the society's director said Thursday.

"The doomsday scenario is that we'll close," director Pat Frouws said in an interview.

"We have to look at that possibility."

A strike of the centre's 67 workers has put programs on hold since Monday, after negotiations between the B.C. Government Service and Employees' Union and the society broke down last week.

Workers have asked for pensions and increases to wages, which now max out at $16 per hour for senior workers.

Frouws said the society is considering meeting workers' wage demands temporarily, then closing down when its funds run out.

Both the province and Simon Fraser University have declined requests for emergency funding, she said.

"The end scenario would be, we lay everyone off," Frouws said, adding she's already laid off four non-union staff.

The society is also considering raising fees, but Frouws said that would make the service unaffordable for students who use the programs.

Another option is to close down programs for newborns to three-year-olds, which are the most expensive to staff, she said.

But union spokesperson Chris Mullen said he doubts the society will shut down, calling Frouws' comments "sensationalistic."

"That's a scare tactic," Mullens said. "I don't think that has any basis in reality."

Meanwhile, staff, faculty and students at SFU say they're scrambling to find child care.

Theresa Hughes, an SFU psychology major who is four months pregnant, said she's had to juggle her work schedule to care for her one-year-old daughter during the day.

That means working in SFU's pub at night, sometimes until midnight.

If the strike stretches on, Hughes said she'll have to quit and won't qualify for maternity benefits.

"It's just too hard on me being pregnant," Hughes said.

North Burnaby resident Chris Ramsay said a friend is watching his son, aged two, while tries to work from home and care for his five-year-old daughter.

But if the strike goes on much longer, Ramsay said he plans to pull both children out of the centre.

"It's inconvenient to say the least," said Ramsay, whose wife is a student and instructor at SFU.

"It's not the best situation for the children either."

Jinko Graham, an assistant professor in SFU's statistics department, said her work has been slowed down while she takes care of her toddler.

"It's affecting my research, which is what I get evaluated on," Graham said.

"It really affects assistant professors - it's really important for them to have research productivity."

Graham said she's heard rumours about the society closing. She's worried that could hurt the university, especially in a tight labour market.

"We came to SFU because we perceived it to be a family-friendly environment," Jinko added.

"I think it's going to have a negative impact on our ability to attract staff and faculty."

The society and the union have not met since the strike started, Mullens said, adding he didn't know when it will end.

Several parents were planning to hold a lunch for picketing workers on Friday afternoon, he said.

SFU spokesperson Don MacLachlan, said he didn't know whether the society has asked the school for emergency funding.

The school currently provides free space and "minimal" funding to the society, he said.

SFU's administration has asked faculty to be lenient with students who may have to switch schedules to care for children, he said, adding some faculty and staff are bringing their kids to work."It's a lot of strain and stress for the parents.

"We're affected by it, but we're not involved with it."

Burquitlam MLA Harry Bloy said he was not aware of any new funding requests from the society but said he would look into it….