Why unions have a bad reputation.

I hear this is going on in other parts of the country. Representatives of AFSME (most with new york accents) are doing a door knocking campaign, child care providers have reported to their local child care associations and state child care association, how union organizers have come to their home/place of business during their operating hours to solict their support, calling themselves "Kids first" Unfortunately, many providers report experiencing union organizers who did not indicate that they were there on the behalf of a union or the true nature of the card they asked the provider to sign. Many providers have shared that when they were approached in the door knocking campaign, the organizers may have asked providers what their concerns are about their child care profession or what they would like to see changed or how it could be improved. And then, simply asked the provider to sign the card to:

a. receive more information
b. sign the card as a petition to support other providers
c. as a way to get information about health care for providers

Providers also report that the organizer did not tell them that when they filled out the card and signed their name, they had granted the union "exclusive representation for the purposes of collective bargaining on your behalf ."    Their card now counts toward the "votes" the union is collecting to pursue an Executive Order from the Governor.

Our ultra liberal Govenor Dayton is chomping at the bit to get this done and is visably angry that it went public before he could sign the order. There was a big public forum set up to air both sides of the story, the media was there, and state legislators, but the govenors office did not even send a representative.

I know when I tried to join the carpentors union as a one man shop I was told a business owner without employees could not join, effectively stopping me from competing for commercial and government work. Day care providers must somehow have different rights to work and be represented than construction workers do.

Kid's First my a$$!