Home-based providers vote for a voice with the State of Connecticut in raising the quality of care, stabilizing the profession, and helping parents work and further their own education
FARMINGTON—Child care providers serving thousands of Connecticut families have overwhelmingly chosen to join a union for future talks with the state over improving the early learning services they deliver. The American Arbitration Association, a nationally recognized neutral party, counted returns today following a secret ballot election in which home-based providers voted 1,603 to 88 for representation by CSEA/SEIU Local 2001.
"Standing together, child care providers will have a strong voice for the things we need to provide quality care," said Queen Freelove, a 20-year provider of day and after-school care in New Haven. "In this economy, parents are working longer hours to support their families and relying on child care providers for things like homework help after school. Parents and children will both benefit when we can talk to the state about improving the program," Freelove said.
Connecticut's in-home child care workers who participate in the Department of Social Services' Care4Kids program have been working to unite together since 2005. Today they join family providers in 15 other states who have gained official standing to seek improvements in early learning through their unions. By having a voice, providers can help stabilize the child care workforce, expand family access, and work to retain experienced, trained child care providers, raising the quality of early learning.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed an executive order in September granting providers the means to unionize, and which established a path forward to begin formal collective bargaining with the state. Family child care providers operate their own businesses in their homes; while the governor's executive order and today's election empowers them with a voice in improving the quality of care, it does not make them state employees.
CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 represents 25,000 active and retired public sector workers serving in state and municipal agencies, as well as local school districts across Connecticut. Visit www.seiu2001.org online for more information on home-based child care professionals' efforts to deliver consistent care and early educational development.
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