Child care unionization election fails

Below is a press release from the Speaker of the House in Minnesota, Representative Kurt Daudt, about today's ballot counting that resulted in AFSCME's day care unionization scheme failing by a huge margin. The final tally: 1,014 to 392. For day care business owners, the option to join AFSCME is still there. This election does not change the ability of a day care business owner to join the "Child Care Providers Together MN CCPT" union which has been in existence for a number of years in Minnesota.

This week's print edition of the Bonanza Valley Voice will include this news plus have reaction from State Representative Paul Anderson, who voted against this whole scheme in 2013.

This press release was e-mailed to media at 11:17 a.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.

SPEAKER DAUDT STATEMENT ON VICTORY FOR PARENTS, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS

St. Paul, MN—House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, issued the following statement following a landslide defeat of a proposed union for childcare providers. Ballots were due on Monday, and were tallied Tuesday morning. The election came following controversial legislation passed by Democrats in 2013 and signed into law by Governor Dayton that aimed to unionize independent childcare providers. Providers voted 1014-392 against forming a union.

"Today's resounding defeat is a victory for providers and parents alike. Governor Dayton tried and failed to rig an election that would have increased childcare costs for hardworking parents and caused headaches for independent providers. Democrats have been out of touch on this issue and seem to care more about increasing union dues that help fund their campaigns than about reducing the cost of childcare for Minnesota families. House Republicans will continue to stand with families in resisting Governor Dayton's attempts to raise the cost of childcare in Minnesota."