Imagine getting a letter in the mail that says you are now a member of a union and are required to pay union dues, even though you didn’t vote to join a union? This is what happened to thousands of day-care providers in Michigan who receive state subsidies for caring for children who receive state aid. It’s a scheme concocted by the state and the union to swell the union’s ranks and bank account. I first heard about this from John Stossell, who did a report on it on his Fox Business Network show. Here’s a video clip at NRO’s Media Blog:
I have a question that this video clip does not answer for me. Does the forced unionization only affect those day-care centers that receive subsidies from the state for taking care of kids whose parents are on state assistance? If so, I wonder if some day-care owners will choose to not accept kids who come with government subsidies in order to get out from underneath the union/government thumb.
Update: The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece by Patrick J. Wright and Michael D. Jahr both from the Mackinac Center that provides additional information.
