Editorial: Veto it again, Governor { Grandma Union Bill }

Sacramento Bee ^ | 3/14/8 | Editor

[SmithL]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has twice vetoed legislation to unionize grandmas, but the Democrats in the Legislature seem to think he might now change his mind and sign their latest bill to do just that. He shouldn't.

Senate Bill 867, now on the governor's desk, is part of a nationwide plan by organized labor to unite family child care providers into a single entity in each state that would bargain collectively to set rates rather than allowing community standards to prevail.

The bill is aimed at the grandmothers, aunts and others who stepped into the breach when the state forced more welfare moms to enter the work force. After it became clear that many of the single mothers on public assistance couldn't take jobs if they couldn't afford child care, the state began a massive expansion of subsidies for that service. Part of that change was a program to pay the relatives of former welfare recipients to watch their children.

Currently, these relatives (and other child care workers who would be covered by the bill) are independent business owners. The payment they get from the state is based on what they would be paid to serve nonsubsidized clients.

Union leaders want to replace this system with one involving collective bargaining.

[Impy]

Ureal, do the right thing AH-nold.