Unionizing Daycare??

[MarinaVanessa]

This union has totally screwed all of us in this county.

And this why I'm thankful that CA is not doing this. The only thing that CA is thinking of enforcing is education in the child development field which I agree with and already do without being forced to do. I'm just sorry that you providers that are forced to the union have to go through it and deal with the lesser pay and union dues. If you all didn't accept subsidy as payment would you still have to pay your dues? What would happen if you didn't?

[professionalmom]

If you all didn't accept subsidy as payment would you still have to pay your dues? What would happen if you didn't?

No, we would not have to pay the dues if we don't accept subsidy clients. So it could be argued that we can boycott the union dues by not accepting subsidy clients. However, most of us would be out of business in a matter of days. Here's why: in my county (per the numbers my food program rep showed me), every public school in this area (county) has more than 50% of it's students on free or reduced lunch programs. Some were as high as 95%!! Most of these kids are in families that qualify for DHS assistance.
Over 80% of my clients (over the past 2 years) had DHS daycare subsidy. If you don't take the subsidy clients, you WILL be out of business. Period. I don't feel like I have a choice. I have to take subsidy clients just to stay open, therefore, I HAVE to pay to be in a union I never wanted in the first place and which has done nothing to help me, except lower my reimbursement rate and lost me clients.

[Chickenhauler]

The Union has provided help to numerous providers with getting there paychecks, talking to dhs on their behalf and setting up hearings and going with them on there behalf. They also call providers to make sure that they have had their training or remind them to schedule training so they can continue providing care. There is a hotline # you can call to get help.

I would like to say that the CCPTM contacts for the chlild care union have also been providers and have been in the situations where they wished they would of had a union to turn to . They are just like you and they are looking out for you and want to help.

The union is looking out for their own pockets, plain and simple.

If it was such a great thing, they wouldn't have to FORCE themselves upon private business's. People would be flocking to sign up in droves.

[Chickenhauler]

No, we would not have to pay the dues if we don't accept subsidy clients. So it could be argued that we can boycott the union dues by not accepting subsidy clients. However, most of us would be out of business in a matter of days. Here's why: in my county (per the numbers my food program rep showed me), every public school in this area (county) has more than 50% of it's students on free or reduced lunch programs. Some were as high as 95%!! Most of these kids are in families that qualify for DHS assistance.
Over 80% of my clients (over the past 2 years) had DHS daycare subsidy. If you don't take the subsidy clients, you WILL be out of business. Period. I don't feel like I have a choice. I have to take subsidy clients just to stay open, therefore, I HAVE to pay to be in a union I never wanted in the first place and which has done nothing to help me, except lower my reimbursement rate and lost me clients.

Essentially, the way this pans out is the taxpayers of MI are (in)directly paying money straight into the union halls coffers.

[professionalmom]

Essentially, the way this pans out is the taxpayers of MI are (in)directly paying money straight into the union halls coffers.

Exactly. The only way the union gets their dues from us (the providers) is if and when we take subsidy payments for low income families. Then we get a check from the state (funded by the taxpayers of MI, including us - the providers). The union then siphons off a percentage of that subsidy (taxpayer funds) to pay the dues for the union.

I wasn't even thinking about that part. Thanks Chickenhauler!!

What I want to know is, how is this all fair? Let take 2 providers for example: 1 takes subsidy clients and 1 does not. Supposedly both are in the union because all providers in MI are now unionized. However, only the one taking subsidy clients has to pay dues. How can both get the same benefits, yet only one is paying for it?

[Chickenhauler]

Exactly. The only way the union gets their dues from us (the providers) is if and when we take subsidy payments for low income families. Then we get a check from the state (funded by the taxpayers of MI, including us - the providers). The union then siphons off a percentage of that subsidy (taxpayer funds) to pay the dues for the union.

I wasn't even thinking about that part. Thanks Chickenhauler!!

What I want to know is, how is this all fair? Let take 2 providers for example: 1 takes subsidy clients and 1 does not. Supposedly both are in the union because all providers in MI are now unionized. However, only the one taking subsidy clients has to pay dues. How can both get the same benefits, yet only one is paying for it?

Socialism, that's how.

That reminds me of the joke "Welcome to the Republican Party"


I was talking to a friend's little girl, and she said she wanted to be
President some day.

Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked
her,

'If you were to be the President, what's the first thing you would do?'
She replied, 'I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people.'

'Wow - what a worthy goal.' I told her, 'You don't have to wait until
you're President to do that.

You can come over to my house and mow the grass, pull weeds, and sweep my
yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store
where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use
toward food or a new house.'

She thought that over for a few seconds, 'cause she's only 6.

And while her Mom glared at me, the little girl looked me straight in the
eye and asked, 'Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work,
and you can just pay him the $50?'

And I said, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.'


Have any of you contacted your state representative? Maybe get a handful together from the same area (rep) and make an appt to meet in person with them with facts and figures in hand?

Maybe get ahold of the local TV station, one that does the "looking out for you" segments or the like?

[MarinaVanessa]

And I said, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.

Well said, I love it.

[judytrickett]

I hate unions. ALL Unions. It's akin to legal blackmail IMO.

[professionalmom]

Maybe get ahold of the local TV station, one that does the "looking out for you" segments or the like?

Chickenhauler, I really, really LOVE your comments and posts. The "Welcome to the Republican Party" is AWESOME.

As for the part of your post that I quoted above, don't make me laugh! I know you are out working very hard and probably do not get to watch tv very much (especially the news), but here's a news flash for you - they are almost all bent toward "looking out for" the liberal agendas. Therefore, they are pro-union (usually) and will laugh us off or they twist it around to paint us as rich people who are complaining that we are not rich enough! If you are a liberal democrat and you complain, you are a victim. If you are a conservative republican and you complain, you are greedy and selfish. The media is always pandering to this ideology.

[fctjc1979]

Chickenhauler, I really, really LOVE your comments and posts. The "Welcome to the Republican Party" is AWESOME.

As for the part of your post that I quoted above, don't make me laugh! I know you are out working very hard and probably do not get to watch tv very much (especially the news), but here's a news flash for you - they are almost all bent toward "looking out for" the liberal agendas. Therefore, they are pro-union (usually) and will laugh us off or they twist it around to paint us as rich people who are complaining that we are not rich enough! If you are a liberal democrat and you complain, you are a victim. If you are a conservative republican and you complain, you are greedy and selfish. The media is always pandering to this ideology.

Too true!! I'm not sure there really is any completely impartial news organization anymore.