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Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Second lawsuit filed on child care union law

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A second group of Minnesota child care providers has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the new law that allows for a union representation election among eligible providers.

The National Right to Work Foundation, which is providing legal assistance to the group, announced the court filing today in a news release. It said Jennifer Parrish of Rochester and 11 other providers from around the state are seeking to halt implementation of the recently-passed law. The foundation claims the law violates the providers' First Amendment right to choose with whom they associate to petition the government.

"Citizens have the power to select their political representation in government, not the other way around," said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. "This scheme, which forces small business owners, and even grandma taking care of her grandchildren, into union political association is a slap in the face of fundamental American principles we hold dear."

Last week, 11 other providers filed a separate federal lawsuit against Gov. Mark Dayton and other state officials.

Dayton told reporters that he thinks the lawsuits, which the state must now defend against, will be a waste of taxpayer money. A district court judge stopped Dayton last year from allowing the union election through an executive order. But Dayton said that ruling also cleared the way for the legislation.

"He said explicitly that the remedy was to go to the Legislature, and if the Legislature saw fit, then you could call for that election," Dayton said. "The Legislature did exactly that. They did as they saw fit. Now the groups are throwing their little fits, and they're just trying to throw sand into the machinery and delay."