Minnesota state legislature approved a bill this week that would give home care workers the right to unionize.
The state’s House of Representatives passed legislation Monday by a vote of 68-66, which would allow unions to negotiate on behalf of providers serving clients that receive government subsidies such as Medicaid.
Minnesota’s Senate passed the bill last week, by a 35-32 vote, after a debate that lasted 17 hours, according to a report from the local Star Tribune.
It is likely that Gov. Dayton, of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, would sign the bill into law, according to a spokeswoman from the governor’s office.
For the first time in two decades, Minnesota’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party controls both legislative chambers and the governorship.
The pending legislation looks to impact 12,000 to 15,000 home health providers who are employed directly by their clients, according to the Service Employees International Union.
Opponents argued that the bill would force child-care providers who don’t want to become union members to join and pay associated union dues.
Written by Jason Oliva
