Group Files – Lawsuit against Governor’s Executive Orders 9 & 10

Hartford, CT – To block the forced unionization of daycare workers and personal care attendants, a group of Connecticut residents is taking Governor Dannel P. Malloy to court.

Cathy Ludlum of The Connecticut Association of Personal Assistance, Inc. (Manchester), Maria Nelson of Childcare Providers Coalition (Southington), Attorney Joe Summa (Waterbury) with Fergus Cullen of the Yankee Institute, Sen. Joe Markley (Southington) and Rep. Rob Sampson (Wolcott) today announced the filing of a Civil Lawsuit in Waterbury Superior Court in response to Governor Malloy’s Executive Orders 9 & 10, which creates a mechanism for personal care attendants and daycare workers to unionize.

Cathy Ludlum said, “While people on every side of the issue agree that higher wages, health care benefits, and paid time off are desirable, there is strong disagreement about the best way to accomplish these goals.”

“Daycare providers are self-employed individuals, and they have the right to make their own decisions,” said Senator Markley. “Personal care attendants are not state employees. I have spoken to many, who share a good working relationship with their employers. They neither requested nor desire union involvement.”

The plaintiffs in the case say the Governor’s Executive Orders 9 & 10 are a violation of both state and federal labor and constitutional law. They also claim that Governor Malloy usurped what should be legislative action in passing such wide-ranging changes to unionization, action the general assembly refused to consider taking last session.

“Without legislative oversight, there’s no trusted system of accountability,” Rep. Sampson added. “It’s clear that these orders will have a very real impact in the lives of many people, and that makes the effort to keep this in the public eye critically important.”

Maria Nelson said, “We’re feeling afraid of where this thing is going to take us and many providers are feeling violated and scared.”

Fergus Cullen, Executive Director of the Yankee Institute of Public Policy said, “This is about freedom. Individuals should be free to enter into contracts, to hire people or go to work for someone or make arrangements for child care, without interference from unions and without union bosses skimming off union dues.”

Today and tomorrow Sheriffs will be serving papers to the Attorney General’s Office notifying the defendants of the claims. The defendants are Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Dawn Lambert – head of the quality workforce council.