News Releases

REPUBLICANS “AT PLAY” WHILE FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDERS ARE CARING FOR CHILDREN OF WORKING PARENTS

AFSCME Council 5 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:19:18 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: download PDF
February 9, 2012

CONTACTS:

Karen Louise Boothe
SEIU MN State Council
Communications Director
Ph: 651-203-0401x15 C: 612-423-4615
KLBoothe@SEIUMN.org

Jennifer Munt
AFSCME Council 5
Public Affairs Director
651-357-8544
Jennifer.Munt@afscmemn.org

Republicans now want to tell providers how to spend their hard-earned income

Saint Paul, MN – In-home family child care providers in Minnesota are busy caring for the children of working parents while Republicans at the state capitol are “at play,” with legislation that would only serve to harm small business childcare providers by trying to control how they spend their own hard-earned dollars.

“It’s unbelievable to me,” says Sally Larsen, a childcare provider in St. Joseph, Minnesota. “I am an independent and successful small business owner who has the right to spend my own money in ways I see fit.”

“Republican politicians have created a child care crisis where parents can’t pay more and providers can’t work for less,” says Lisa Thompson, a St. Paul child care provider and member of AFSCME Child Care Providers Together. “I wish they spent as much time protecting families as we do. Instead, they cut child care and block unions.”

“This is more of the same, “says Carol Nieters, executive director of SEIU Local 284. “Last year, rather than addressing the real needs of kids and families across our state, Republican politicians balanced Minnesota's budget on the backs of providers and low-income families, cutting critical funding and rates for child care assistance. Now, they’re at it again. After supporting the lawsuit that blocked providers’ right to vote in a union election Republicans, and national big-corporate interests that are funding them, are trying to take away family child care providers’ personal rights to spend their own hard-earned money in ways they think are best for their businesses and own families.”

This bill (House File 1766) has already passed the House Health and Human Services committee and will be voted on by the entire state House of Representatives this afternoon.

SEIU is the workers who provide care and support for your family in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, childcare, and the Twin Cities’ largest public and private buildings. The SEIU Minnesota State Council coordinates the electoral, legislative and outreach work of the SEIU Locals in Minnesota to increase the effectiveness of their collective bargaining and new member organizing campaigns. By building the political involvement of approximately 30,000 SEIU members throughout the state, the State Council is working to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. The State Council’s board is comprised of elected leaders, members, and staff of the four SEIU Local Unions in Minnesota.

AFSCME Minnesota Council 5 is a union of 43,000 workers who advocate for excellence in public services, dignity in the workplace, and opportunity and prosperity for all workers.

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AFSCME: Right to Work for Less is Wrong for Minnesota

AFSCME Council 5 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:31:27 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544

AFSCME Council 5 director Eliot Seide issued the following statement in response to another divisive constitutional amendment proposed today by tea party extremists, state Senator Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) and state Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), who want to make Minnesota a “right to work” state with fewer jobs and lower wages:

Right to Work for Less is Wrong for MN

AFSCME Council 5 — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:45:11 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt , 651-357-8544

AFSCME Council 5 director Eliot Seide issued the following statement in response to a bogus study released today by the Center for the American Experiment, a conservative think tank backed by secret corporate donors who want to make Minnesota a low-wage “right to work” state:

AFSCME: “Obama is the only choice for the 99%”

AFSCME Council 5 — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:25:50 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt , 651-357-8544

AFSCME Minnesota Council 5 director Eliot Seide issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech tonight.

Child Care Providers Speak Out Against Scare Tactics

AFSCME Council 5 — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:01:56 -0500

FOR RELEASE: December 14, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544

Child care providers call for a voice and a vote

On Thursday morning, Minnesota child care providers will speak out against the scare tactics being used by Republican legislators to persuade them to vote against a union. In the latest attempt to scare and bully child care providers, Republican legislators sent a letter to child care providers in their districts that contains false information and misrepresents Gov. Dayton’s Executive Order.

Care Providers Get Out the Vote

AFSCME Council 5 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:39:24 -0500

FOR RELEASE: December 1, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544

Child care providers are preparing to win the upcoming union election by calling eligible voters this weekend. While AFSCME providers talk with their peers to get out the vote, the Free Market Institute will be holding a rally to deny them their democratic right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union.

Child Care Providers Won’t Be Bullied!

AFSCME Council 5 — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:41:11 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 1, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt , 651-357-8544

(St. Paul, MN) – Today the Minnesota Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is meeting to attack Gov. Dayton for issuing an executive order giving certain child care providers the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union.

Frivolous lawsuit Shouldn’t Block Child Care Union Vote

AFSCME Council 5 — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:22:24 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 28, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt , 651-357-8544

(St. Paul, MN) – Today, union opponents announced a frivolous lawsuit to block child care providers from voting on whether or not they want to join together in a union. Below is a response from Eric Lehto, organizing director for AFSCME Minnesota Council 5.

SHUTDOWN COST STATE EMPLOYEES $65 MILLION IN LOST WAGES

AFSCME Council 5 — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:28:12 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 22, 2011 download PDF
CONTACT: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544

Today, Minnesota Management and Budget released a report about the cost of the state government shutdown that lasted July 1-20, 2011. Below is a statement from Eliot Seide, director of AFSCME Council 5, Minnesota’s largest union of public workers, including 10,000 state employees who were laid off by the shutdown.

Child Care Providers Prepare to Win Union Election

AFSCME Council 5 — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:31:03 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 15, 2011 download PDF
CONTACTS: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544 / Eric Fought, 612-223-4744

(St. Paul) – Today Gov. Dayton issued an Executive Order authorizing a union election for licensed in-home family child care providers who participate in the Child Care Assistance Program. The child care providers listed below are available to speak with the media about why they want to unionize. Please call them to arrange an interview.