FOR RELEASE: October 23, 2011                                                                    download PDF
CONTACTS: Jennifer Munt, 651-357-8544 / Brian Elliott, 612-703-4987

Parents and providers will speak with the media about why they support unionizing child care. Pro-union news conferences in Rochester and Waite Park will precede public hearings held by state House legislative committees at both locations.

Waite Park News Conference
Monday, October 24 – 6:45 p.m.
Stearns County Service Center
3301 County Road 138, Waite Park

Rochester News Conference
Monday, October 24 – 6:45 p.m.
Olmsted County Government Center
151 4th St. SE, Rochester

AFSCME Child Care Providers Together and SEIU Kids First are working together to organize in-home licensed child care providers in Minnesota. Providers in the northern half of the state are organizing with AFSCME; that includes Hennepin, Ramsey and St. Louis counties. Providers in the southern half of the state are organizing with SEIU; that includes Anoka, Olmsted and Stearns counties.

There are 11,000 licensed in-home child care providers who take care of 129,000 children in Minnesota. More than half of them have signed union authorization cards. They’re now ready to win recognition of their unions, including through a union election if Gov. Dayton feels that’s the best way to determine majority support.

Twelve states recognize the right of child care providers to collectively bargain with the state and have a voice in decisions that affect their work. Nothing is stopping Minnesota.

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