Governor Dayton issued an executive order calling for a vote on unionization of childcare providers today. It will be a mail ballot on Dec. 6th. Only licensed providers who were registered to receive the CCAP subsidy as of Sept. 30, 2011 will be allowed to vote (approx 4,400 providers).

The language of the Executive Order is simply outrageous. The move to secure new union members (i.e. dues $$) for SEIU and AFSCME is couched in “it’s all about the kids and healthy families”. Uh-huh. Folks, these providers are not public employees, they are self-employed people (mostly women). They are subject to state licensing requirements, just like many businesses. Parents receive the CCPA subsidy, not the providers.

Governor Dayton has carefully claimed the legal authority to order an election among only those licensed providers who accept the state childcare subsidy rather than all 11,000 providers (CCAP creates a stronger link than just a license between the state and the business, so beware of subsidies if you love freedom) .

Senators David Hann and Mike Parry disagree with Governor Dayton (click to see press conferences).

“If you have a governor who’s not willing to follow the law, then we have no choice but as a Legislature to go to an appropriate court and say you need to stop the governor from proceeding in this action because he is not warranted by law to do it,” Hann said.

Some of the providers we have talked to want an election because they are certain they could beat the unions—and they want this 5 year old campaign to end. We are sympathetic. Allowing an election, however, sets a terrible legal precedent. And we are of the opnion that the unions do not play fair or nice when it comes to elections. We cannot offer our support for an election but we will offer our support for any lawful measures that gets these unions out of the homes and businesses of these providers and prevents them from unionizing small business.

Stay tuned by checking here and the Childcare Freedom website here (or by clicking on the Childcare Freedom button on the right side of our web page).