Home Day-Care Union May Get Past Gov's Veto

Home Day-Care Union May Get Past Gov's Veto

By HOWARD MEGDAL

A bill that would allow the United Federation of Teachers to represent the state's 52,000 home day-care workers moved forward last week, as the Republicancontrolled State Senate overrode Governor Pataki's veto, 57-4. It is widely expected that the override will soon be finalized in the Assembly, where the bill was originally approved by a vote of 108-34.

UFT 'Pleased'

"We're pleased that the Senate overrode the Governor's veto of this crucial legislation that would allow family day-care providers to make a living wage for the important work they do in caring for children," UFT leader Randi Weingarten said in a June 29 statement. "We hope the Assembly will follow suit.

The union, to be jointly run by the UFT and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, was initially stymied by the Governor, who expressed concerns about the long-term costs of the proposal.

Proponents of the bill argue that current working conditions for home day-care providers are unacceptable. A recent ACORN study determined the average annual wage for license-exempt (one or two children), family (between three and six children) and group family (seven to 12 children) providers to be $19,933. While workers are paid for a 30-hour week, most providers work a 45-hour week, with many working up to 60 hours. Those workers make as little as $2 an hour, according to ACORN.

If the Assembly acquiesces, the new union would have the right to negotiate with the state for wage increases and benefits such as health care, workers' compensation, paid vacation and sick days.

New York would become the fifth state in the country to allow home day-care providers to unionize. Illinois became the first last year, with costs for the 49,000 home day-care workers in that state increasing by $80 million this past year, according to the New York Times.