Union + QRS = Increased Costs, Bureaucracy + Decreased Freedom, Choice

Sadly, by setting a vote on childcare unionization by executive order on November 15th, Governor Mark Dayton has again involved himself in another unconstitutional/illegal effort to pay off political cronies, expand government, usurp parental authority, and harm small business.

The governor ordered the Bureau of Mediation Services to do a mail-in ballot, but only of childcare providers that serve children who receive government subsidies for their care. This means that the approximately 4,000 provider minority that already has a stake in government subsidies and programs and is more likely to support unionization, will then be able to make this momentous decision to form a statewide childcare union for the entire group of 11,000 childcare providers in the whole state of Minnesota.

The executive order states that no one will have to join a union or pay dues if the vote is in favor of unionization. What is not stated is that the decisions made by the group that does involve itself in negotiating with the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will affect ALL childcare providers in the state. In addition, there has been no concrete delineation by union proponents about fair share dues that could well be charged to those who do not join or that dues may well be extracted directly from the government subsidy payments before going to the already underpaid childcare providers. No union proponents have been able to refute the obvious – that because of these kinds of issues, costs will increase and access to affordable childcare will decrease.

Popular opinion is certainly against this move by the governor. In a November 7th Survey USA political poll commissioned by KSTP, one of the questions was, “Should daycare workers in the state of Minnesota form labor unions and be considered public employees?” The response was overwhelmingly against this idea. Overall there was 68% opposed and 19% in favor with 13% not sure. Even in the liberal and Democratic demographics the opposition was 52% and 60% respectively with support being only in the teens.

All of this is quite analogous and directly related to the governor’s rogue decision to unilaterally expand the quality rating system (QRS) using federal money, despite near unanimous votes by the legislative majorities against doing so during the 2011 regular and special sessions. As Education Liberty Watch warned during the session and stated in our  analysis of Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, which seeks to greatly expand the QRS system in Minnesota and across the nation, when childcare providers need to be rated in order to receive scholarships and other government subsidies, these workers will be considered public employees and as in other states, subject to unionization. These QRSs are not the touted “Consumer Reports” style information sources for parents about childcare, but rather a tangled, bureaucratic, and expensive government takeover of private childcare that in the prescient words of a former Democrat Assistant Attorney General back in 1994 will more than likely “restrict entry, limit competition, reduce access, limit parental choice, and increase cost.”

Representative Mary Franson on the Davis and Emmer show (starting at 2:58) agreed with the hosts and Education Liberty Watch’s position that this unionization effort and Parent Aware are tied to attempts to expand government control over children from “cradle to grave.”

Rep. Franson: “It’s not even just unionizing child care providers. Like Bob said, this is going to go way beyond just licensed in home child care providers. This is a slippery slope we’re on and we need to stop it right now.

Bob Davis: “Is this the objective, basically this cradle to grave, Agenda 21 control of the child?

Rep. Franson: “Today, this week I am in Chaska for an early education conference…This is real. You’re right – this is cradle to grave. As a matter of fact, they want a state agency, an early education state funded agency. I heard that last night.”

Bob Davis: “Oh, that’s all we need.”

Rep. Franson: “This is coming from one of our non-profits that was pushing this and this all stems from Parent Aware [MN’s QRS]”

A minute or two later, co-host Tom Emmer made the following statement about Parent Aware:

Tom Emmer: “And by the way, before we leave it, because Representative Franson brought up Parent Aware. I know that Senator Hann, what he was focusing on was primarily the legal aspects, but if you two were listening when Bob started this segment, he talked about [that] this is really the cradle to grave movement of coverage of our kids, the government getting involved in every aspect of child care, child rearing…

Bob Davis: “…and development.”

Tom Emmer: “Exactly.”

Rep. Franson: “They want to push more home screenings. They want to push more outreach so that we can get to these children and ‘save’ them.”

Tom Emmer: “Yep, but you brought up Parent Aware. That is an early childhood issue that actually some Republicans have supported and some of the business interests have supported. The problem is that it is part of this entire process.

Rep. Franson: “Yes.”

According to Senate Counsel at a September hearing chaired by Senator Mike Parry of the Veteran’s Affairs and Government Innovation Committee and Senator David Hann of the Health and Human Services Committee, Governor Dayton does not have the constitutional or legal authority to order this election. (Education Liberty Watch testified about many of the above mentioned problems at this hearing. Listen to the whole hearing  here and our testimony starting at 1:40:24). Similar information came out about the opposition and lack of legality in an October 24th hearing held in St. Cloud chaired by Rep. Steve Gottwalt, available here.

Since this issue has started bubbling to the surface several months ago, multiple groups have mobilized against this union push. Education Liberty Watch has joined the Childcare Freedom Coalition. Senators Hann and Parry and other legislators are working to pursue legal action to stop this forced unionization. In the meantime, here is what you can do:

1)      Stay informed. Follow both Education Liberty Watch and the Childcare Freedom websites and alerts.

2)      Alert any home child care providers that you know to be aware of this very important issue. Tell them that they can go to provider information page on Child Care Freedom for more detailed information.

3)      Please support the ongoing work of Education Liberty Watch and please be ready to consider contributing for legal fees to preserve freedom for providers and families and access to quality and affordable child care.

4)      Click here to send an email to Governor Dayton and your legislators opposing this election.

THANK YOU!!!