The decision by Judge Dale Lindman overturned Governor Mark Dayton’s executive order giving 4,300 in-home child care providers the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. The judge said Dayton overstepped his authority by scheduling the election.
Friday’s ruling followed a lawsuit against Dayton’s order funded by conservative groups.
The child care providers have been involved in organizing with AFSCME Council 5 and SEIU Local 284. Following the judge’s ruling, both unions issued statements.
“This ruling is disappointing, but not unexpected,” said Council 5 spokesperson Jennifer Munt. “Right-wing legislators and their tea-party allies sued to score political points. Their victory denies child care providers their democratic right to vote.
“A union exists wherever workers pull together with a common purpose. We’re united to increase the quality of child care, to improve access for working parents, and to stabilize our profession. No judge or politician can stop that.”
SEIU Local 284 Executive Director, Carol Nieters responded by saying opponents and their out-of-state conservative funders of the measure “succeeded in throwing a wrench into the wheels of democracy and they will stop at nothing to deny working people the right to form a union in order to have a collective voice.”
Both unions said they would continue to keep up pressure for passage of the state Child Care Affordability Act. Sponsored by Rep. Nora Slawik and Senator 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.
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The decision by Judge Dale Lindman overturned Governor Mark Dayton’s executive order giving 4,300 in-home child care providers the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union. The judge said Dayton overstepped his authority by scheduling the election.
Friday’s ruling followed a lawsuit against Dayton’s order funded by conservative groups.
The child care providers have been involved in organizing with AFSCME Council 5 and SEIU Local 284. Following the judge’s ruling, both unions issued statements.
“This ruling is disappointing, but not unexpected,” said Council 5 spokesperson Jennifer Munt. “Right-wing legislators and their tea-party allies sued to score political points. Their victory denies child care providers their democratic right to vote.
“A union exists wherever workers pull together with a common purpose. We’re united to increase the quality of child care, to improve access for working parents, and to stabilize our profession. No judge or politician can stop that.”
SEIU Local 284 Executive Director, Carol Nieters responded by saying opponents and their out-of-state conservative funders of the measure “succeeded in throwing a wrench into the wheels of democracy and they will stop at nothing to deny working people the right to form a union in order to have a collective voice.”
Both unions said they would continue to keep up pressure for passage of the state Child Care Affordability Act. Sponsored by Rep. Nora Slawik and Senator 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.