Law aims to unionize child care

Mar 7, 2006 5:45 PM

NY DAILY NEWS: Tuesday, February 28th, 2006 Two state lawmakers introduced legislation that would allow 30,000 home-based day care providers to unionize, the elected officials announced yesterday at the teachers union headquarters.
"It's time we value the people who give our children their start and make sure they have a right to make a decent living," said Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat (D-Washington Heights) who is sponsoring the bill along with state Sen. Nick Spano (R-Westchester).

Home-based day care providers - who are reimbursed by the state for watching young children from low-income families - are fighting to join the United Federation of Teachers. The providers earn $19,933 a year on average and have no health or retirement benefits.

"You serve the most vulnerable of our children, and you get exploited more than any workers I know," UFT president Randi Weingarten told a group of day care workers.

Kathleen Lucadamo