New York Background

In 2007 Governor Spitzer issued an Executive Order granting bargaining rights to 60,000 home based child care providers. The providers in the New York City area are represented by the United Federation of Teachers and the providers in the out state areas are represented by the CSEA.

The UFT in New York City worked with the now defunct community organizing group ACORN to collect cards used to show support for unionization. In October of 2007, a mail in election was held and out of the 28,000 eligible voters, only 8,382 cast ballots in favor of unionization. Because the majority of ballots returned were in the unions favor even though far fewer than a majority of providers voted yes, the union represents all providers in that area.

In February of 2008, The CSEA held a mail in ballot election where roughly 17,000 child care providers were eligible to vote. Out of those, only 3,723 cast ballots in favor of the union but because it was a majority of ballots returned, the union will now represent all 17,000. The union already represented over 7,000 providers so the grand total represented by CSEA is around 25,000. Out of these, the majority are unlicensed providers who take part in the child care assistance program.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/16/nyregion/16union.html

CSEA reached a contract in the state in 2009. This agreement provided health insurance to those who are income eligible with a goal of one day providing coverage for all who do not have insurance and who want it.

http://voicecsea.org/pdf/VOICE_Agreement.pdf

In the fall of 2011, providers in the CSEA region received a memo from the Office Of Children and Family Services. This memo advised them that dues/fair share fees would begin coming out of their checks starting January 3, 2012. It also advised those who do not have a child on the subsidy program that the union would be in contact with them to inform them how to submit their payment for yearly dues making New York the first state to assess fees to providers not participating in the child care assistance program.

OCFS Memo Regarding Dues


NEW! With the help of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Mary Jarvis and nine other New York child care providers filed a lawsuit in Federal court on December, 2, 2014! Read more about it here!

http://nrtw.org/en/blog/new-york-childcare-providers-lawsuit-12022014

Basic Facts

Dues: 2% of the child care assistance checks up to $700 per year.
Fair Share: Yes
Health Insurance: Yes, limited. Must meet income eligibility requirements. 
Contract: Yes, active.
http://voicecsea.org/pdf/VOICE_Agreement.pdf