Fast forward to Thursday morning. A group of daycare providers filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging a law passed in May which forces their private, independent businesses to become part of a public employees union.
Apparently,
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton is blaming "right-wing extremists" for the lawsuits being heard in federal court Thursday aimed at stopping the unionization of state-subsidized child care providers.
By the way, here's a photo of these "extremists" that has got Dayton all in a tizzy:
Since the entire DFL House caucus as well as Dayton himself are up for reelection in 2014, it's fortuitous for MN Republicans in the sense they've been given a buffet of campaign slogans. Since the daycare unionization measure passed the House by a razor thin 68-66 vote (with zero GOP members voting "yea"), literally ever DFLer who voted for it was in essence the deciding vote. Had just one "yea" vote flipped to a "no", the bill would've failed.
The lawsuits, filed by several child care providers, claim the unionization measure Dayton signed into law in May is unconstitutional and violates federal labor law.
Then there's Dayton himself. Signing the bill that forces these daycare providers to unionize means many of them will pass off the increased costs (thanks to union dues) on to the families who utilize their services. Worse yet, some providers may cease to stay in business. And if some providers choose to stay in business but refuse to join the union, they will be ineligible to take in children whose care is subsidized by Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). If that happens, suddenly many low-income families are saddled with fewer choices in terms of child care. Exactly how does that benefit the hard working families whom you considered such a high priority, Gov. Dayton?
In the end, this is all about payback. Public Employee unions and the PACs they funded ended up funneling upwards of $12 million to DFL candidates in the 2012 election cycle. A bunch of independent-minded childcare workers (aka "right-wing extremists") seem intent on interfering with that transaction. And that has Gov. Dayton a little surly.
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