REP. FABIAN: MINNESOTANS DO NOT WANT FORCED DAYCARE UNIONIZATION AT THIS TIME

ST. PAUL—Monday, May 20—Before passing a balanced budget, Minnesota House Democrats passed a bill that would force the unionization of childcare providers and personal care attendants (PCAs) who provide services to low-income families. State Representative Dan Fabian, R-Roseau, voted against the overreaching effort.

“I stood with the 86 percent of childcare providers who said they don’t want to be unionized. Based on hundreds of emails, phone messages and contacts I received from people in northwestern Minnesota, this is not what they want from their elected leaders at this time,” Fabian said.

Fabian explained that the socially divisive unionization effort was prioritized before legislative leaders passed a balanced budget with only hours remaining at the end of session.

By law, unionization would require childcare providers and PCAs to pay union dues or fair share fees. For purposes of negotiation, the State of Minnesota would become the employer of record putting the state government in a relationship that now exists directly between the provider and consumer of their services.

“In my opinion, there is no place for politics between Minnesota’s working families and the people who provide care for their children or their vulnerable loved ones,” Fabian said. “All childcare providers and PCAs should be able to provide quality, affordable services to parents and patients without government interference.”

Fabian expressed his concern that unionization would have a greater impact on rural Minnesota. “Unionization will lead to fewer choices for low-income families when independent childcare providers are forced to reject them in order to avoid unionization and a reduction in benefit payments received for the eligible families.”