Appeals Court Affirms Decision in MN Daycare Union Fight

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal appeals court has lifted a legal obstacle to a unionization effort affecting thousands of Minnesota home day care operators.

The 8th District Court of Appeals said Thursday it was affirming a ruling by a judge who dismissed a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the drive. That judge ruled last summer the lawsuits were premature.

Jenny Parrish, who operators a Rochester daycare business, has been leading the legal fight against the unionization movement.

This probably isn't the last word in the case and an appeal is possible. A new case was filed this week to stop a companion drive that could organize personal care attendants for the elderly and disabled.

The proposed child care union would cover some 12,700 providers who take care of children who are subsidized by the state.

The union pushing to organize the operators still must submit enough petitions to trigger an election.