AUGUSTA — A legislative committee split along party lines Wednesday on a bill that would take away collective bargaining rights for in-home child care providers.
Six Republicans on the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee voted in favor of the bill, while five Democrats opposed it. The bill, L.D. 1894, now goes to the House and Senate, where it is expected to be hotly debated.
The bill would repeal a law passed by the Legislature’s Democratic majority in 2008 to allow child care providers who are not state employees but receive state subsidies to unionize. Republicans said they opposed the bill then, and don’t see why the practice should continue.
“I cannot understand for the life of me why this bill is in place currently, and it has no place in Maine law,” said Sen. Christopher Rector, R-Thomaston.
About 200 of the state’s 1,300 family child care providers have joined the Maine State Employees Association for union representation. The union has given the providers more say in state policies, rules and regulations that govern child care in the state, said Chris Quint, executive director of the MSEA.
The union does not have the power to negotiate subsidy rates received by the providers. That is controlled by the Legislature.
Democrats said the bill is another attempt by Gov. Paul LePage to gain more control over the rates paid to providers. Last year, he proposed reducing rates and disbanding the union, but both ideas were rejected by the Appropriations Committee.
“The governor lost his shot at cutting the rates and he’s coming back at it again,” said Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Allagash.
Earlier this week, LePage’s Chief Legal Counsel Dan Billings said it’s unusual for the state to have to bargain with nonstate employees. Negotiations are under way to replace a contract that expired in June.
“It’s about independent businesses trying to use that process to their benefit,” he said, noting that many other groups that receive state subsidies do not have the right to unionize.
Information provided to the committee by the Maine State Employees Association indicates that Maine is one of eight states that allow family child care providers to bargain collectively. Earlier this month, Republicans in the Legislature voted to remove collective bargaining rights from workers at the former DeCoster egg farm in Turner.
Rep. Kerri Prescott, R-Topsham, said many small businesses are successful even though they are not unionized. “This just comes down to whether you support unions or not,” she said.
On the other side, Rep. Paul Gilbert, D-Jay, said the bill is intended to send a message to union workers “that says we are in charge, not the workers.”
Susan Cover — 620-7015
scover@mainetoday.com
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