MN Union-Anyone Familiar

[DCMom]

Are you referring to AFSCME or Child Care Providers Together? I got a postcard telling me about a local meeting coming up and just this morning I got to work and found a provider friend called on the union's behalf and did one of those recorded calls inviting every provider in the area to a meeting tonight at our local union hall. I really didn't plan on attending ...too busy but I will ask my friend what the deal is and any other info I can get outta her...

Child Care Providers Together is affiliated with AFSCME; they are listed on the national website.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I fell into the same trap! I signed the card for "more information." I especially hate their phone calls. They call during naptime, and if you happen to not pick it up and listen for long enough, they will call you back every 5-10 minutes until you do! That's reason enough not to do it, if you ask me!!!! The problem is that funding is funding, and there isn't enough of it. They can't get cheaper rates or more pay for us...that's why we are self employed. I don't know why any self employed person would want to have a union to tell them how they can make their own money or how they have to run their business. There is a lot of misrepresentation going on, and it is really annoying. I want nothing to do with these people because of their lies!

I have been told there is a way to get your card back. One of the providers in my area is working VERY hard trying to prevent the union taking over our home businesses. Here is a template she wrote. You would NEED to get it notarized, then mail it into the governors office.

Governor Dayton (or governor of your state),

My name is . I am a daycare provider in County and I do not want anything to do with the union and do not want to become unionized. I do not want to be forced into being unionized because I accept children that are on county assistance either. The union representatives are sneaky and had some of us sign cards about getting information on what the union may have to offer, not agreeing to become unionized.

This is to notify you that I demand my card back that I signed with the union. I do not want to be included in their numbers of people wanting union representation.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Address

[Missani]

I have been told there is a way to get your card back. One of the providers in my area is working VERY hard trying to prevent the union taking over our home businesses. Here is a template she wrote. You would NEED to get it notarized, then mail it into the governors office.

Governor Dayton (or governor of your state),

My name is . I am a daycare provider in County and I do not want anything to do with the union and do not want to become unionized. I do not want to be forced into being unionized because I accept children that are on county assistance either. The union representatives are sneaky and had some of us sign cards about getting information on what the union may have to offer, not agreeing to become unionized.

This is to notify you that I demand my card back that I signed with the union. I do not want to be included in their numbers of people wanting union representation.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Address

Thank you, Greta! I will definitely be doing this!

[PitterPatter]

Are you in MN?

No I'm just saying if it happened here in WV

[jen]

I'm in MN too...they came to my door...I was NOT happy, I was super busy, kids getting off, others waking up from nap. Anyway...mine did say she was representing the Union but was not easily persuaded that I did not want anything to do with it.

I finally told her when they make a union for business owners, try me again and shut the door.

[daysofelijah]

I had a union rep. come knocking at my door a couple weeks ago. I told her no thank you I wasn't interested and sent her on her way. I'm only doing licensed daycare until this fall so not too concerned. I would have no desire to be part of a union though.

[Michael]

I am in Minnesota. If you do not want to be a member of a union, do not fill out the card. The unions are using the cards for card check~in place of your signature on petitions, etc. When I signed mine I didn't realize what they were up to, I thought I was signing up for more information as you said. Then I started getting newsletters and announcements for union meeting and rallys. When I call and asked why, they told me because I was a union member. When I asked for my anniversary date, the date they told me as about the time the rep was coming door to door with the cards. I have since requested my card back in writing (which you must do; you can't just request it over the phone). There is a big push in MN right now to sign up daycare providers because of early childhood legislation that is part of the education bill up for vote in the legislature (they may have voted on it already, not sure).

As far as I know, you will not automatically be part of the union if you get child assistance payments, but if you are a union member I believe that is how they will deduct your dues. I don't have any state aid kids, so I can''t answer that for certain. I never heard anything about deductions from food program reimbursements; I am a member of the food program and I have never had anything deducted even though I am apparently a union member of not one, but two unions. AFSCME and SEIU...not sure how that happened because I only signed one card and nobody at either organization seems to be able to answer that question for me, so I requested my sign up documents from both.

I can't answer whether or not it is legal; at the very least it's shady. I just have no interest in being part of a union. Just my opinion.

You are correct. They are probably trying to get enough signatures to create a new state ballot measure.

[Lucy]

OMG, don't get me started on this! My state has a mandatory union as well. They take out $25 per child/ per month if the child is state paid. I have friends of our family who will bring their 2 kids occasionally (maybe 5 days out of an entire year), but when I get the check for them, $50 is taken out. ($25 each). The state only pays $30 a day per child, so my $60 check turns into $10. When this first happened, I had to tell the mom that she would have to pay the $50. Which means if her kids come only ONE day in a month, it costs her $50. Once they came on the 31st of one month, and the 1st of the next month -- two consecutive days. But it cost her $100, because the state took out the $25/kid ($50 total) for EACH month. Anyway, it's ridiculous. I did a lot of checking on this. Called every place I could think of from my licensor to the State Capital, and found out there was nothing I could do about it. It angers me and it really ****s.

[thecrazyisout]

So, please clarify...they want to unionize providers so I can collectively bargain with myself?? I am the only employee of my business. Do I complain to myself that I don't provide myself medical insurance (go through husband work) or equally contribute to match my own retirement fund??? This is so annoying I don't even know how this is even possible! I will be writing the governer for sure!

[daysofelijah]

Here is a site with some more info on what you can do, put together by some MN childcare providers against the union:

http://www.childcareunioninfo.com/index.html

[Zoe]

I'm in MN and haven't had anyone come to my door yet. When did they do this?

I am completely against a union. I am self-employed and am my own boss. I already have to comply with the state's rules, why would I want to further restrict myself in my OWN business?

I'll be keeping an eye out for sure! Thanks for bringing this up gals!

[Unregistered]

They have already been coming for a couple months now. I had heard about it but nobody stopped until just a few weeks ago.

Does anyone know do they get your info from the licensing agency? I dont have ads that list my address or full name but I am sure they could find me if they knew I was licensed to do care.

[daysofelijah]

All your information is available online at the MN DHS if you are licensed.

http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id_017167#

[Unregistered]

Union Information

I came across this thread and even though it is an old one I wanted to share some information with you. So far, no unions have been able to touch food program money but they have taken a percentage or flat fee out of subsidy checks, even from providers who are not members and do not want union representation. I am part of a group of providers who is working to stop this from happening after researching what the unions have done in other states. We just got word from Governor Dayton today that he will not be using those cards to force a union on us but will most likely be allowing us a secret ballot vote through a state labor board. We have compiled lots of information and started a website with information on how much dues are in other states and which states have unionized and even have links to the contracts they have received.

https://www.childcareunioninfo.com

We also started a facebook page "childcare providers who are happy to be union free".

If you like that page you will get updates on when a vote is taking place and any other updates we have. We have had a ton of media coverage lately including the front page of the star tribune and have links to all those stories on both the website and the facebook page. Right now it's important that those of us who do not want union representation to join together to inform all the other providers out there of the upcoming vote and why they should vote no.

Jennifer Parrish
childcareunioninfo@gmail.com