Child care workers OK link with union

OLYMPIA, Wash. — About 10,000 Washington family child care providers have voted to join the Service Employees International Union, Local 925, the union said Monday.

SEIU helped unionize 26,000 in-home health care workers in 2001 after voters approved an SEIU-sponsored initiative authorizing collective bargaining rights for the home health care workers who care for state clients.

The union, among the largest and fastest-growing in the country, has 1.8 million members, and has become a major player in Olympia.

The local represents 20,000 public service workers in Washington, including University of Washington staff, school districts, local government and nonprofit organizations.

In a mail election conducted by the American Arbitration Association over the past three weeks, the vote was 92 percent in favor of joining the local. Washington is the second state, after Illinois, with unionized child care providers, the union said. Workers in Oregon and other states are being organized.

"Child care providers know what it takes to provide quality care and education and we're excited to have a stronger voice to improve child care in our state," said Donna Horne, who provides child care in Everett.

The family child care workers serve about half as many youngsters as those who attend day-care centers, and are reimbursed for the low-income children they serve. An average reimbursement rate is about $22 per child per day.

Providers will meet with the state Department of Social and Health Services to seek improvements in the subsidy, to discuss ways to reduce turnover rates and to give suggestions on regulations.

The union will seek legislation to allow it to negotiate a contract with the state.

Gov. Christine Gregoire's chief of staff, Tom Fitzsimmons, said recently that the governor supports better pay and has "a great deal of empathy and concern" for the workers.