PA.’s Independent Childcare Providers vote: Union Yes!
Pennsylvania’s licensed, registered independent childcare providers voted 1161 to 47 to become members of a union. Some 3000 workers are part of the new bargaining group.
The October 29 vote con- cluded an unprecedented joint organizing effort between NUHHCE-AFSCME and SEIU.
“We’re all one extended family now,” said United Child Care Union President Vermanuel “Vickie” Milhouse, indicating the organizers had no difficulties working together and would be launching another campaign to organize an even larger group — registered but unlicensed child- care workers — family members and neighbors who provide child- care — beginning in January.
NUHHCE President Nicholas called the campaign’s success “historic” and praised the organizers who worked on the month-long campaign. Noting that the effort was possible because of an executive order signed by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell allowing childcare workers who are operating independently to form a union, President Nicholas called on California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign a similar measure in California.
UCCU already has 1500 dues-paying childcare providers in California even though that group has been denied the right to join the union. President Nicholas pre- dicted a unit in California could offer union benefits and advantages through membership to some 50,000 workers. President Nicholas described childcare workers as “the largest growing workforce in America.”
President Nicholas provided office space and support to the United Child Care Union more than 10 years ago when it was only a dream.
Formally founded in 1998 at a convention meeting at District 1199C headquarters, the founding co-presidents were Milhouse and Denise Dowell, who now works for AFSCME, and was a leader in the Pennsylvania independent provider campaign.
During the founding convention, childcare workers approved resolutions creating a union for “all child care professionals regardless of work setting, including for-profit and non-profit center- based teachers, in-home family child care and group child care providers, other child care workers, and employees in child care agencies.”
The new union’s mission: “to work to improve conditions for child care workers and by doing so, improve the overall quality of child care services.”
The new independent mem- bers will join some 1150 center- based childcare union members in Pennsylvania. Nicholas estimated Pennsylvania’s potential childcare worker membership at 18,000. 1500 dues-paying childcare providers in California even though that group has been denied the right to join the union.