A union election for 4,300 child care providers was permanently cancelled Friday by a Ramsey County judge. The ruling by Judge Dale Lindman overturns Governor Dayton’s executive order giving in-home child care providers the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join AFSCME or SEIU. While the verdict is disappointing for our union, it’s not unexpected. Right-wing legislators sued to score political points. Their lawsuit was bankrolled by the tea-party and it denies child care providers their democratic right to vote. No judge or politician can stop the determined members of Child Care Providers Together/AFSCME, who continue to keep up pressure for passage of the state Child Care Affordability Act. Sponsored by Rep. Nora Slawik and Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, it would restore Republican cuts to early care and education, ensure that providers are reimbursed at 75 percent of the fair market rate, reinstate funding for professional development of child care providers, and eliminate the waiting list of 7,000 families seeking child care assistance.
Working parents would gain more-affordable access to child care under legislation introduced on Valentine’s Day. The Child Care Affordability Act eliminates the waiting list that now prevents 7,000 eligible, working parents from enrolling their children in Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program. The legislation also reverses cuts in reimbursement rates for in-home child-care providers, and raises income limits so more working parents are eligible for the program. Read more…
The Child Care Affordability Act will benefit Minnesota’s children by providing child care to thousands of families
St. Paul, MN – On Tuesday, February 14th Rep. Nora Slawik was joined by Senator Mary Jo McGuire, child care providers, parents and Child Care Works at the home of child care provider Mary Albert to announce the Child Care Affordability Act.
“In Minnesota, early childhood funding has always been a priority—until last session, “said Child Care Affordability Act chief author Rep. Nora Slawik. “In 2011, despite bipartisan support and a broad coalition of organizations focusing on early childhood, Republican leadership’s opposition to early childhood funding led to the largest cuts to child care in recent memory.” Read our full news release.
As in-home child-care providers in Minnesota, we are organizing to gain a voice, lift our profession, and improve opportunities for children and working parents. CCPT members talk about the joys, challenges and hopes we have. Read more...
We have just been informed that the January 17, 2012 hearing on Governor Dayton’s Executive Order has been continued to Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Judge Lindman has agreed to merge the hearing on the temporary injunction with a motion for summary judgment to dispose of the issue.
We at AFSCME Council 5 are continuing our work towards ensuring a successful election, once the ballots are mailed out. While Republican legislators continue using misleading letters and public distortions to bully providers, we will continue to fight for child care provider’s right to a democratic election and an eventual voice in the decisions that affect their profession and the families they serve.
Clarissa JohnstonChild-care providers told Republican legislators Thursday to stop spreading lies and scare tactics in their crusade to block a union election. “That kind of behavior is unacceptable,” said St. Paul provider Robert Ellis Sr. “These politicians are misusing their authority to silence our voices through court cases and misleading letters,” said Mounds View provider Clarissa Johnston. She and Ellis said legislators are falsely claiming that all providers will have to pay union dues, falsely claiming that all providers will have to join the union, and falsely claiming that parents will have to pay more if providers unionize. “These politicians, I feel, deserve a time out,” Johnston said. Read more...
Leaders of Child Care Providers Together/AFSCME invited 2,305 child care providers to participate in a telephone town hall meeting on December 6. They answered 45 questions about the union election and the opportunity for providers to have a stronger voice in decisions that affect their profession and the families they serve. Listen to a recording of the conference call:
Rep. Torrey Westrom, using taxpayer money, is mailing lies to child-care providers as part of Republican legislators’ campaign of misinformation and scare tactics. Westrom claims that all 11,000 in-home providers in the state “will be forced to pay full or ‘fair share’ union dues, and will be subject to additional regulation.” Minnesota Public Radio’s PoliGraph says: “Westrom’s claim is false.” Read the full investigation.
Today we suffered a temporary setback when a Ramsey County judge halted the union election among child care providers. The court will hear the case January 17 and it could be months before child care providers get to vote on whether or not they want to join a union. In issuing a temporary restraining order, Judge Dale Lindman said the unionization issue should have gone through the Legislature. But taking our case to the Legislature would be futile. It’s led by the same Republican legislators whose lawsuit denies providers their right to vote and have a voice in decisions that affect their work and the families they serve. These are the same legislators who cut providers’ pay, who slashed quality improvement grants for child care, and who have ignored the 7,000 families waiting for child care so they can go to work. For six years, providers have been fighting for a voice in decisions that affect their profession and we will not give up fighting for Minnesota’s children and their parents.
