Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  What efforts exist to unionize family child care providers?

    Posted 08-25-2021 10:41 AM
    Hello everyone,

    I'm currently writing my dissertation, a comparison of Wisconsin and Danish family child care (FCC) providers, and am interested in learning more about FCC unionization efforts in the U.S. I believe CA has unionized the FCC workforce, but I'm not aware of other states. Please share any info you might have and thank you! 

    Kate MacCrimmon

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    Kate MacCrimmon
    Fitchburg WI
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  • 2.  RE: What efforts exist to unionize family child care providers?

    Posted 08-26-2021 10:02 AM
      |   view attached
    Thanks so much to those who have replied. I found that NYC has developed a union for family child care (FCC) providers: https://www.uft.org/chapters/private-and-nonprofit-chapters/family-child-care-providers. Someone else mentioned that MA, RI, and either Oregon or Washington have unionized some or all of FCC. 

    Does anyone know if FCC providers have ever been categorized as public employees and therefore become employees of the state? I found one article that describes some of these efforts (I'll attach it here). I'm just curious as to if there are more cases. This classification would be life-altering for the profession so I'm just curious!

    Thanks for your help!
    Kate


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    Kate MacCrimmon
    Madison WI
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    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    55UKanLRev321.pdf   2.72 MB 1 version


  • 3.  RE: What efforts exist to unionize family child care providers?

    Posted 08-27-2021 09:12 AM
    Hello Kate,

    Thank you for such an informative article. I was aware of the work of the SECIU and thought they represented the Family Child Care Providers as independent business owners and represented the owners as independent business owners rather than as public employees. I was at a meeting, several years ago, where someone from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) mentioned they were piloting a small project is Ohio to explore establishing a Union for Family Child Care Providers.

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    Robert Gundling, Ed.D.
    Better Futures LLC
    Senior Consultant
    Washington, DC
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  • 4.  RE: What efforts exist to unionize family child care providers?

    Posted 08-27-2021 11:27 AM
    Hi Robert,

    I'm glad the article was informative. I believe you're right that the unions that exist in the U.S. are solely representing FCC providers as independent business owners, none as public employees which would be radically different (and like it is in Denmark). There seems to be a range of unions representing FCC providers too from what I've gathered from the responses here. From the information people have sent, I'll share the links to others who have unionized:

    Oregon (AFSCME):
    https://findunionchildcareor.org/

    NYC (UFT):
    https://www.uft.org/chapters/private-and-nonprofit-chapters/family-child-care-providers.

    Washington (SEIU):
    https://www.yakimaherald.com/special_projects/coronavirus/child-care-providers-in-washington-weigh-a-strike-as-they-struggle-to-stay-afloat-amid/article_f6317347-7e1e-5810-88a5-769b08d104ce.html

    There seems to be a strong anti-union sentiment among some providers which is really interesting:
    https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-childcare-providers-say-no-to-union/370677131/

    This recent article from Wisconsin outlines the financial loss teachers have experienced since the elimination of the union's collective right to bargain:
    https://madison.com/ct/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/plain-talk-act-10-continues-to-drive-teachers-out-of-the-profession/article_66f5b20e-0aa6-50db-87cd-c4e49c168304.html

    Anyway, thank you to all of you who have shared. I find the topic very interesting!
    Kate







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    Kate MacCrimmon
    Madison WI
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