Dear Friends,
I would like to wish all of you a Happy Fourth of July! I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend, celebrating with delicious food, great company, fireworks and fun community events.
I love the Fourth of July and what it stands for. I feel blessed to live in the greatest nation on earth where we can celebrate our freedoms and liberties.
Additionally, the Fourth of July is a wonderful reminder to thank the men and women in our lives that serve or have served our nation, defending our way of life around the world. We cannot celebrate Independence Day without acknowledging our brave veterans. Thank you to those who have served our nation!
So whether you’re traveling this weekend or taking part in the festivities Saint Cloud has to offer, I wish you and your loved ones a fun and safe Fourth of July.
Update on Childcare Unionization in Minnesota
As your legislator, I also thought it important to update you on some other news this week regarding a Supreme Court ruling and its effect on Minnesota’s childcare unionization law.
As you may recall, Governor Dayton and Democrat legislators pushed through a childcare unionization law last year that would place small, independent childcare providers into a union and require them to pay union dues. This was not only a violation of their rights, but would have forced providers to raise daycare costs to cover union dues or turn away children in need of care because their parents receive public assistance.
Childcare providers brought a case to court (Parrish v. Dayton) fighting this law, and the case was put on hold until the Supreme Court ruled on a similar case titled Harris v. Quinn. On Monday, the high court ruled that homecare workers in Illinois are not public employees and therefore cannot be compelled to join a public employee union.
With that case now decided, it is very likely the federal courts in Minnesota will rule the childcare unionization law is unconstitutional in the case of Parrish v. Dayton.
This is a win for childcare providers and working parents across the state.
It is an honor to represent you. If I can ever be of assistance to you on a matter of state government, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Once again, have a wonderful Fourth of July!
Sincerely,
Tama