A: While unions have the same general goals as these child care organizations in that they want to improve the quality of child care and help providers become more professional, they are significant differences. Only unions can negotiate a legal contract with the state or county government on issues such as subsidy rates, health insurance, etc. Other organizations lobby the government for specific benefits through legislative action but cannot represent providers in collective bargaining. A union can act politically in ways that all other child care organizations cannot. Unions can endorse specific political candidates (state and federal representatives and senators) and, subject to state and federal campaign finance laws, can donate money to their campaigns. Unions are often involved in direct political campaigning. Non-profit child care organizations are forbidden by law from endorsing political candidates, donating money to candidates, or being involved in direct political activities. Before a family child care union has been recognized by the state (or won an election to represent providers) and has begun collecting member dues, it can only act in a nonpartisan way like all child care organizations (distributing educational materials, holding public forums, etc.). Once a union has formed, it cannot use membership dues collected from family child care providers for political purposes (endorsing or supporting candidates). Unions must raise money for political purposes separately from union dues. Unions at the state and local level may or may not endorse political candidates, and the process by which this happens can vary greatly from one state to another. Providers who join unions have the opportunity to join with other union members to become politically active in a way that they currently cannot with existing child care organizations. Some providers may not be comfortable with the fact that unions are involved in political activities. For some providers, unions may have endorsed candidates and positions that they do not support. Other providers are more comfortable with union positions on various issues and candidates. Unions across the country in many different industries have supported both Democratic and Republican candidates and positions. Many union political activities focus more on the issues affecting union members (such as minimum wage, Social Security, family issues, etc.) rather than on endorsing particular political candidates. Ultimately, decisions about the specific political activity taken by a union will be decided upon by the local union membership. Thanks to Tom Copeland - Redleaf Institute