As fans of Minnesota's most popular blogged telenovela may remember, when we last left the Emo Senator, our hero was experiencing a fleeting moment of lucidity as he voiced his support for local school boards to put levies forward for voters' approval or disapproval.
In today's episode, Senator Parry displays the fickle nature that has gain him so many adoring fans via the miracle of the Internet. The Star Tribune reports in Child-care union drive fires up the Capitol:
"You cannot be the employer and unionize yourself.'' Added Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, one of the organizers of the Senate hearing: "The governor is walking a very thin line of trying to make law.''
Two of the state's largest unions have been going door to door to solicit support of child-care workers and have asked Dayton to unionize the workers through executive order. Dayton has said he will not do that but supports having a vote taken among providers.
Across the country Republicans have been challenging the role and influence of public employee unions. In Minnesota, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have spent years attempting to organize providers in Minnesota.
In a letter to Dayton, Zellers and House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said the providers "are independent contractors, not public employees nor employees of any single employer. You lack the authority, since an executive order purporting to unionize these small businesses would inherently entail lawmaking.''
Dayton said he has made no decision beyond rejecting the path taken by labor-friendly governors in several other states, which was to recognize the unions by executive order after their organizing drives. He said Tuesday he is asking his legal staff to determine the scope of his authority. "I would rather there be an election than have [unionization] imposed on child-care workers and providers,'' he said.
Officials of the two unions said they believe if the matter comes to a vote among providers, the decision to unionize will prevail.
"To be honest with you, we're really excited about it,'' said Denise Welte, organizing director of SEIU's Local 284. Jennifer Munt, spokeswoman for AFSCME, said, "Our position is, child-care providers have already voted. If the governor wants them to vote again, that's fine. We're not afraid of an election.'' Organizers have been collecting authorization cards from those who favor unionization since 2005.
So there you have it: The Emo Senator opposes a secret ballot election by day care providers. Fiddle-dee-dee, Governor Dayton! This democracy thing can only go so far, and The Emo Senator certainly has his limits, especially when it involves an opportunity to signify against That Man and his evil grounds keeper.
The Star Tribune article also cites a young up-and-comer who might be ready for her own soaper on Bluestem: Representative Mary Franson, of Alexandria and beyond. This material is imaginative comic gold:
Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, was a child-care provider for four years. She said she worries about "propaganda" children might be exposed to, including forming the phrase "tax the rich" in macaroni noodles as a craft project.
Since Franson was once a daycare provider herself, her vision makes Blustem wonder just what sort of craft projects she put the kiddies in her care up to. Don't Tread On Me Playdoh snakes? Or did she simply share Grover Norquist's scary stories with the tykes about shrinking a baby in a bathtub?
Update: For an excellent look at the underlying issues related to this organizing drive, check out Doug Grow's column at Minnpost, Union efforts to organize Minnesota's private day-care workers producing heated arguments
Image: Flouncing Scarlett O'Parry by Tild.
Related post: Emo Senator: in a shocking development, Senator Parry talks sense on Owatonna levy
Earlier episodes of Emo Senator below the fold
Emo Senator: paper reports opinions on Parry run gamut--even his own opinions on himself
Suddenly stoic Emo Senator deplores giving "money away to make someone feel good"
Emo Senator: Parry to city council, "Don't blame me & Dayton for shutdown, just blame Dayton"
The Emo Senator: Cleveland MN resident points out how much Parry cares for state workers
Emo Senator: Do Parry's reforms include ending pay equity?; took over Carlson's bill in May
Was Senator Parry's single term on Waseca City Council predictive of today's budget flouncing?
Emo Senator flounces out of budget meeting; will Parry's mood swings derail special session?
When a newspaper loves a Republican, he can do no wrong (and the FDN can't factcheck Parry)
Emo senator Mike Parry pats self on back for compassion, reveals another income source
MNGOP's class warfare for dummies: Waseca voter tells Mike Parry he's wrong about Dayton
Emo tweeting senator Mike Parry can see Governor's mansion lawn from Waseca
The Emo Senator cont'd: rocking chairs, resignations, and a retreat to retweets
Thumbs down, Emo senator: "Parry commentary wasn’t helpful"; turn off phone, go count trees
Emo senator, part 3: Mike Parry collecting paycheck and per diem during shutdown
The Emo Senator, part 2: Mike Parry cries crocodile tears over laid-off state workers
The Emo Senator: Mike Parry calls for Governor Dayton's resignation, cites feelings, trust fund
Suddenly socialist Mike Parry demands pay according to his needs
Fascinating: This commenter sign a union card even though he opposes unions but he did want to spy. That's integrity for you!
The comment:
Parry is correct in his assessment. Until you get past the issue of how a self employed daycare provider who is organized as a single member LLC with no employees, which is how I am organized as a provider, can somehow be a union, you cannot even begin to discuss the issue of voting.
Claiming that Parry or anyone else is against the right to vote is simply not true. Voting doesn't even apply here. The idea that self employed people who run their own businesses can be organized into a union is ridiculous. I signed a card to get invited to the meetings to see how the union was going to do this. I asked tough questions and basically got no answers.
This has nothing to do with democracy.
Posted by: John Kysylyczyn | Sep 21, 2011 at 08:42 AM
Editor's comment: Mr McGrath is of the name-calling school of rhetoric. If a representative of Minnesota Majority calls someone a gangster, it must be so.
In looking at the name of Mr. McGrath's organization, readers can see the flipside of this "God or Devil Word" approach, the classic strategy of a propagandist.
Bluestem think it would be appropriate --in order to avoid misleading people--for Minnesota Majority to conduct a sign-up that would be independently audited. If a majority indeed agreed, perhaps the organization could rightly bear the name it uses. But Bluestem sees little evidence that its positions are indeed the majority opinion in Minnesota.
As it is, simply the "nice" side of the same rhetorical strategy that McGrath uses when he calls union names.
But strong-arm tactics are nothing new for Mr. McGrath. For an example of intimidation in another form of election, check out "Minnesota Majority sues for right to intimidate at the polls:"
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/10/minnesota_major_3.php
Stay classy, Mr. McGrath.
The comment:
Taking a vote among the 11,000 INDEPENDENT, PRIVATE childcare providers that would potentially compel every one of them into union membership and pay union dues, even if they don't want it is what's objectionable. This is a First Amendment freedom of association issue and a moral issue.
If all of your neighbors got together and had a vote and decided the whole neighborhood was now going to switch jobs and become bankers, would you be required to become a banker? After all, they had a secret ballot and let you vote!
If the majority of resturant owners voted on which food service supplier to use, would dissenting resturants be required to use that supplier?
Forcing unwilling independent businesses to pay a private association (the union) is gangsterism and tyranny, even if the majority of similar businesses want it. It's like protection money, but instead of breaking a leg or busting up your business, they use force of law to bust up your business by recinding your license.
Posted by: Dan McGrath | Sep 21, 2011 at 09:28 AM