Unionized Day Care Will Hurt New York Parents
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brian M Johnson
11 OCTOBER 2007
202-785-0266
Unionized Day Care Will Hurt New York Parents
AWF Opposes Latest Union Scheme in New York
Washington, DC- Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) opposes the recent push by the United Federation of Teachers and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) in New York to unionize child-care providers. Since 2005, 10 states have allowed providers to unionize and three states--Washington, Illinois and Oregon--have approved union contracts. Recently in Maryland, they mailed ballots to 5,800 child-care providers despite there being over 10,000 registered.
“Many child-care providers work from their home and are independent contractors”, says Brian Johnson, Director of Policy for AWF, “By setting the precedent that independent contractors can be classified as ‘government-state’ employees and afforded wage bargaining through a union is outrageous! Not only would this set a dangerous precedent, but the market forces required to maintain a balance of access, affordability and quality will be thrown by the wayside.”
Several states’ child care unionization proposals have provisions that allow day-care providers to organize if a certain percentage (a popular number is 30 percent), of those who receive state subsidies authorize a union to be their representative. The union would then become the exclusive representative of all day-care providers in the state.
“In doing this, Big Labor is given the power to push state subsidy rates well above what private parents currently pay. If the unions want higher wages; they strike. So now, not only will you have thousands of displaced children across New York, which will lead to a growing reliance on unlicensed, underground child care providers, but the providers can hold the state budget hostage demanding more funds," continued Johnson.
“In short, unions will bargain on behalf of the business rather than what is the child’s best interest,” concluded Johnson.
