Two SEIU members were featured in a video put out by the Senate Democratic Communications Center showing the overwhelming support for health care reform in the medical community. SEIU nurses Debbie Wilkes, a member of Local 1199 from Maryland, and Linda Bock, a member of United Healthcare Workers East also from Maryland, shared stories about their own experience working in our broken health care system.

See what they had to say:

When it comes to talking about health care, doctors and nurses are the experts. SEIU nurses have been at the forefront of this debate, lobbying state and federals representatives, rallying on the National Mall, delivering signed hospital scrubs to Congress, and meeting with President Obama at the White House. Now, they're speaking directly to the public.

"Every day, our doctors and nurses see first-hand the many challenges facing our health care system," said SDCC Staff Director, Rodell Mollineau. "These health care professionals know better than anyone that by leveling the playing field, encouraging preventive care and regulating insurers, patients will receive higher quality, more affordable care."

Five thousand family child care providers who participate in the state's child care subsidy program have settled a historic first contract with the Governor's Office and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Kids First Maryland/SEIU Local 500 child care providers voted by a margin of more than 30-to-1 to ratify their first contract. After 14 months of negotiations, providers won a nearly three-percent increase in the state subsidy, access to decision-making committees, and the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements.

"Today the workers who help raise and educate Maryland's most vulnerable children have taken a significant step toward gaining a seat at the table, where they can advocate for themselves and the children in their care - this is a win for providers and families," said Merle Cuttitta, President of SEIU Local 500. The majority of parents receiving state subsidies for their children's care are single mothers entering the workforce or gaining an education through welfare-to-work programs. They are concentrated in Maryland's most underserved communities.

There remains much to be done to mend a system that for too long has pushed quality in-home child care providers out of business. The number of family child care homes in Maryland dropped by 26 percent between 1997 and 2007, due in part to staggeringly low subsidy rates and lack of provider access to affordable health insurance and other benefits. The contract creates additional avenues for addressing these issues, including the creation of a joint committee of state officials and union providers to further explore health care coverage options for family child care providers.

Still, provider-leaders are savoring the victory which they believe is a crucial milestone on their path to the professional respect and fair compensation that they deserve. "We hung in there; it's been more than four years. We're really teaching a great lesson to the children in our care: you work hard and stick with it, and you can accomplish anything," said Crystal Barksdale, Kids First Maryland leader and family child care provider in Baltimore County.

« Read a letter from the bargaining team & contract highlights.
« Learn more about SEIU Kids First

Providers win first contract with higher state rates, new role in system and voice for quality care: 5,000 family care providers in Maryland won their first contract with the Department of Education and the Governor's Office yesterday. The historic contract includes a nearly three-percent increase in the state subsidy, access to decision-making committees, and the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements.

"We hung in there; it's been more than four years. We're really teaching a great lesson to the children in our care: you work hard and stick with it, and you can accomplish anything," said Crystal Barksdale, Kids First Maryland leader and family child care provider in Baltimore County. More contract details on this contract victory for SEIU Local 500 child care providers.

Maryland Congresswoman Donna Edwards stopped by the blog Firedoglake.com Saturday afternoon to talk with supporters. The Employee Free Choice Act was the topic of many questions from commenters.

In response to a question from Howie Klein about opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, Rep. Edwards said:

I know everyone has seen all the ads -- slick, aggressive and a pack of untruths. The opposition claims that somehow workers won't be able to choose a secret ballot -- as though somehow a secret ballot with your employer standing over your shoulder makes the election legitimate. The Employee Free Choice Act is about workers choosing how they want to organize, either by signing up or casting a ballot -- either way, it would be the workers' choice and not the boss'.

Rep. Edwards continued in response to a follow-up question about how to work with Members of Congress to pass the bill:

I think the real challenge here is on the Senate side and then work on shoring up Democrats on the House side. This is why I spent an hour on the House Floor on Thursday with my colleague Keith Ellison (D-MN) trying to bust some of the myths that the opposition has been spreading. We really need the Netroots out there blogging on the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act as a necessary component to rebuilding and strengthening the middle class.

Wanting to continue the discussion about the Employee Free Choice Act, I asked Rep. Edwards about Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison's questioning of Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis and the accusation his bank is working against the Employee Free Choice Act.

Rep. Ellison asked Lewis if it was appropriate to work against the Employee Free Choice Act while Bank of America received TARP funds. Lewis replied that if Bank of America saw opposing any bill to be in their best interest they should do what they can to oppose it.

Do you think that banks with TARP funds should be allowed to work against the Employee Free Choice Act? What can be done to stop Bank of America and other banks from fighting change with taxpayers' money?

Donna Edwards says that Bank of America and other bailed out banks shouldn't work against the Employee Free Choice Act:

I think that financial institutions that receive TARP funds need to get back to the banking and lending business and let Congress figure out how to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. These institutions should not be spending taxpayer money lobbying -- they've already caused enough grief and they're costing our children their future!

The last question she answered was about the unacceptable alternative written by CEOs, for CEOs. Rep. Edwards said the proposal is nothing but a "gimmick" and that supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act need to press on with the upper hand:

This is just another gimmick by the opposition to try to dilute the argument. One lesson I've learned is that we have the upper hand here -- a better argument, the truth, and the right thing for workers and our economy. Now is not the time to roll over for a premature compromise -- It's the time to roll up our sleeves and fight for this one for workers! My experience tells me that the opposition offers up a compromise when they know they are losing.

You can read the whole conversation at this link.

Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island
See this page below for child care wins in these states.

California, Massachusetts
Check out seiu2004.org about SEIU Kids First in California and makidsfirst.org about SEIU Kids First in Massachusetts. 

Illinois, Oregon, Washington
Don't miss this page for information about historic agreements in these states.

More at KidsFirstMaryland.org

MD Providers Ratify Historic Contract

In early July, 5,000 Kids First Maryland/SEIU Local 500 child care providers voted by a margin of more than 30-to-1 to ratify their first contract with the Department of Education and the Governor's Office.

After 14 months of negotiations, providers won a nearly three-percent increase in state subsidy rates without an increase in parent co-pays; accountability for late payments from the state; the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements; and access to important decision-making bodies in the child care system.

"It's a historic moment. Providers who help raise and educate Maryland's most vulnerable children now have a seat at the table," explains Merle Cuttitta, President of SEIU Local 500, of the new contract that will cover providers who participate in the state subsidy program.

Local 500 child care providers first voted to form a union with SEIU in September 2007 after gaining collective bargaining rights through an executive order signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley. In a statewide election, they voted by an 80 percent majority vote to form a union with SEIU Kids First.

Providers worked together for nearly three years to gain that right to vote for their union--forming a statewide steering council and organizing committee, and joining with parents and community advocates to lobby elected officials.

« Read a letter from the bargaining team & contract highlights
« Learn more about SEIU Kids First

More at KidsFirstMinnesota.org

MN Providers Win New Early Ed Investment

After three years of cuts to early learning, Minnesota's waiting list has grown to nearly 5,000 children. SEIU providers made hundreds of phone calls and visits to urge elected officials to invest more in children.

Working together with the early education and advocacy community, providers won improvements from the legislature that will help our kids get the care they need:

• Steps toward more accessible first aid and CPR training for providers
  
• $52 million for the next three years to help restore the Child Care Assistance Program, including relief for some of the families on the state waiting list and a 6% reimbursement rate increase for 2006-7 to help providers continue to serve our communities
  
• $17 million in new funding for early education programs for the next three years.
  
  

RI Providers Beat Copay Hike for Parents

SEIU family child care providers won two victories for affordable, quality child care last month in the Rhode Island legislature, beating back a co-payment hike and gaining access to biweekly pay through direct deposit.

In June 2006, Gov. Carcieri raised out of pocket costs by nearly $700 per year for many families who receive child care assistance. SEIU providers immediately began calling and visiting their representatives to ask them to reverse the hike and help more parents afford quality child care. Just weeks after it took effect, SEIU providers got the legislature to reduce the co-pay increase by half.

Providers also won access to biweekly direct deposit for child care reimbursements. Many family child care providers go an entire month between reimbursement checks--longer when checks are lost or late. Beginning in January, providers in Rhode Island will have access to a more reliable system for reimbursements, so they can deliver more consistent, high-quality care for their kids.