Michigan Background

In 2006, Governor Granholm issued an executive order creating a shell employer for child care providers to bargain with. A vote was held in 2006 and ballots were mailed to over 40,000 providers. The overwhelming majority of those eligible to vote were unlicensed providers caring for a family member, friend or neighbor. Only about 7,500 of the 40,000 were actually licensed, registered providers. Many registered child care professionals were excluded from the vote because in order to take part in the fall election, you had to have cared for a child on the subsidy program on June 30th of that year. If you were not actively caring for a child on the subsidy program on that one day you were disqualified from the vote.

Out of 40,500 eligible voters, only 5,921 voted in favor of unionization.  This means fewer than 15% unionized the entire bargaining unit. It also means 34,579 independent child care providers became exclusively represented by a union they didn't vote for.

http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/12223

Child care providers sued in Federal court.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/13/AR2010091300088.html

Before the Judge could rule on the case, the union was repealed by incoming Governor Snyder settling the lawsuit out of court. As part of the settlement, the State had to agree never to force child care providers into a union again.

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/05/michigan_settles_lawsuit_over.html

The child care providers currently have a case under appeal that would require the union to refund the four million dollars in dues it took from them. 

Basic Facts

Dues: 1.15% of subsidy check
Fair share: Yes
Health Insurance: NO
Contract:  March 1, 2011 contract terminated http://www.uaw.org/sites/default/files/contract2008.pdf

On March 1, 2010, the DHS Director in Michigan ended the contract citing "The union council  has not delivered on its original goals to enhance and improve the delivery of quality care for children whose parents receive assistance from the department. That's why we will stop all funding and, because these providers are not state employees,  we will also cease collecting union dues."  This kind of direct end to the contract was and is only possible in Michigan because of the way the union was formed.