AFSCME Day On The Hill
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
State Capitol and Crowne Plaza Hotel in St. Paul
 

We will be lobbying for legislation to improve the lives of thousands of child care providers and the children and families they care for.

Your elected officials need to hear from you! PLEASE JOIN US!
There are buses traveling from Virginia, Duluth, Brainerd and St. Cloud. Please contact Adrienne Kern 218-341-5962 for more information and to get connected with other providers.
DOTH 2012 will start and end at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront

Open Letter to Family Child Care Providers from Tom Copeland:
I offer this support because these unions have made a difference in improving the lives of child care providers and parents.
 
I recognize that not all child care providers are supportive of unions. Some worry that they may create unwanted competition and undercut the efforts of family child care associations or Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&R). I understand this concern. So far, I have not seen this as a serious problem.  I have strongly supported the work of associations and CCR&R Agencies for many years and would oppose any efforts to undermine their good work.
 
Union organizing of family child care providers is a strange concept to some. However, joining a union will not make you anyone's employee, take away control of your business, force you to strike, or tell you to raise your rates or dictate your policies.
 
Unions are democratic organizations that make decisions by majority vote. I encourage child care providers to participate in these efforts to improve the child care field. 
 
The union has nothing to do with running your business. It only means a large group of providers can band together to improve conditions for children, parents, and families. A union is a democratic organization that advocates on behalf of what its members want.
 
The unions are attempting to bring much more in resources to parents and providers than any fee a provider would have to pay in dues. The unions are also trying to improve the workings of the subsidy system to benefit parents and providers - it's not just about money.
 
I believe unions are sincere in trying to improve conditions for providers and parents and they certainly have done so in a number of other states.
 
The issue of homes being employees for purposes of negotiating with the state is a hybrid form of union. It's not reducing any power of a home provider to run her business. In no way does a union tell you how to run your business. It's a way to bring more providers together to advocate for themselves and parents. I can understand your opposition to unions who do a bad job. But the principle of union organizing is a democratic gathering together of folks to make their life better.
Tom Copeland

Ready 4 K

Power Naps

7 Recalls

Managing meltdowns

Watch what come with child products

Appreciate your Provider

Bill of Rights

Video footage of how to help your littles ones swim