Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit issued a ruling in the Minnesota childcare provider’s lawsuit challenging a state law designed to forcibly unionize them. Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation, issued the following statement in the wake of today’s ruling:

“We disagree with the court’s limited ruling holding that the childcare providers’ lawsuit is not ripe until a unionization election is requested. However, we are encouraged that the court’s reasoning further legitimizes the personal homecare providers’ lawsuit filed earlier this week.

“The court’s ruling today means that the homecare providers’ suit is indeed ripe for review because those providers are under imminent threat of unionization, with the unionization election starting tomorrow.

“No homecare personal or childcare provider should be forced to associate with a state’s hand-picked political representative. Jennifer Parrish and other Minnesota childcare providers intend to refile their lawsuit if and when AFSCME union officials push to force childcare providers into union ranks.”

Both groups of providers are receiving free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.