California Seeks to One-Up Washington State by Forcibly Unionizing Grandmas

Justin Hakes — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:48:33 -0500

Following up on forced dues for foster parents in Washington State, another op-ed in the Seattle P-I this week says that the California Legislature wants to "unionize Grandma." The article states:

A bill pending in the Senate would create a union to organize family
members who provide child care for their kin and are paid by the state
so that mothers can work outside the home.

Furthermore:

Child-care providers who did not want to join the union would still
have to pay fees -- likely in the same amount as the union dues.

Most disturbingly, this extension of compulsory unionism is part of a broader trend:

The move in California is part of a nationwide strategy by SEIU and the
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Since
2005, governors in eight states have issued executive orders or taken
other action giving family child-care providers the right to unionize
and bargain as a group.

And in all of those states without a Right to Work law, those care providers must pay union dues. What a tell tale sign that this is all about the money that union officials must stoop to compelling payment of union dues from people taking care of their own families.

MD Child Care Providers Wary of Compulsory Unionism

Justin Hakes — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 10:33:59 -0400

With the specter of forced union dues looming over child care providers in Maryland, some providers worry it could hurt those at the very bottom.

"My understanding of the union is that they would automatically take out of our Purchase of Care vouchers as union dues," Sarecia Powers, child care provider in the Cresaptown area, said. "Having to pay what might be an astronomical amount of dues might make providers consider signing on families based upon being paid privately, where the provider gets everything they are being paid. You could have providers turning down Purchase of Care families, and they are the families that need it most. If they can't find care, it will have a domino effect."

While Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley proclaimed Friday that "no one should be forced to join a union," his is one of 28 states without a Right to Work law where employees can be fired if they refuse to pay union dues.