MichiganRadio

Mackinac Center Sues DHS Over Day Care Union Dues ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) - The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation is suing the Department of Human Services.

The conservative law firm says the Department allowed a new union for small day care providers to form -- without getting the state legislature's approval.

Now, the state is deducting union dues from the subsidies it gives to day care providers who care for low-income children.

Day care provider Sherry Loar is part of the lawsuit.

Of the children cared for in her home, only one is from a low-income family that qualifies for the subsidy. She says for her, the amount of union dues being deducted isn't much.

"But there are providers -- maybe not as outspoken as I -- that have 12 children who qualify, and this is costing them $100 a month. And with the economy the way it is it's very, very hard."

Only about 5,000 of the 40-thousand licensed day care providers in Michigan participated in the union drive in 2006.

But the overwhelming majority of those who did vote, voted for the union.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Human Services says officials have no comment at this time.

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