Ohio – Child Care Providers Vote AFSCME ‘YES’

Columbus, Ohio

More than 8,000 in-home Ohio child care providers overwhelmingly voted for Child Care Providers Together (CCPT)/Ohio Council 8 as their union on April 3. Their next task: Educate members about bargaining and develop teams to negotiate a first contract.

Gov. Ted Strickland (D) issued an Executive Order in February that laid the framework for what Columbus provider Brenda Gentry calls “a historic victory” for the state's child care providers and the children in their care. “Joining with AFSCME has helped us gain more respect and a stronger voice—and will lead to a contract with improved rates and provisions,” she adds.

“Now that our union is recognized as the bargaining representative for Ohio's child care providers, we will be able to negotiate a contract that will give them greater stability and working conditions, and a measure of professional respect,” says Ohio Council 8 Pres. John Lyall, who is also an International vice president.

The success of CCPT/Ohio is part of a national movement among child care providers to gain dignity and strength by joining with AFSCME. In addition to Ohio, AFSCME represents about 150,000 family child care providers in California, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Unity = Power — Franklin County in-home child care providers joyously wave copies of an Executive Order just signed by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. It gives some 8,000 providers the right to negotiate a contract through their union, Child Care Providers Together/AFSCME Ohio Council 8. Photo Credit: Joe Weidner