Open Letter to Family Child Care Providers in Minnesota on Unions
March 3, 2011
I strongly support the current efforts to organize family child care providers in Minnesota by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). These two unions are working cooperatively for the purpose of bringing new resources and benefits to the family child care field. Their goals include an increase in state subsidy rates, uniform interpretation of licensing rules, policies and procedures, access to affordable health insurance, and more.
Successful organizing by these two unions in Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin , and other states have generated tens of millions of dollars for increased subsidies for low income parents, lower parent co-payments, as well as increased access to training, and a strong voice for family child care at the state level.
Union organizing of family child care providers is a strange concept to some who may be confused by what a union does and does not do. 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. A union is a democratic organization. Family child care providers who join a union will make decisions by majority vote about what issues to bargain with the state. If you want the union to pursue an issue that is important to you, bring it up and it will be considered by your peers in the union. If you are unhappy about a decision made by the majority of the members of the union you can accept the decision, try to change enough minds to change the decision, or leave the union. This is no different than participation in many other organizations you may belong to. It is democracy in action.
Some family child care providers are opposed to union organizing. That is your right. Some worry that unions may compete with family child care associations or Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (CCR&R) and uncut their efforts. The unions say this is not their intention and that they want to work closely with these organizations. For years I have strongly supported the excellent work of all associations and CCR&R agencies and would oppose any efforts to undermine their work.
Will unions be successful in their efforts to improve the child care system in Minnesota that will benefit family child care providers, parents, and children? We don’t know. It will depend on how well family child care providers and the rest of the early childhood education field can all work together.
I urge you to join this effort by participating in a union and make your voice heard.
For more information about the unions, visit their websites: AFSCME (http://ccptmn.org/); SEIU (http://www.seiu284.org/kidsfirst/Default.aspx)
I have worked in the family child care field since 1981 as an author, trainer and advocate. After working for 28 years at Resources for Child Caring I became an independent consultant in 2009.
