Court Puts Day Care Unionization Drive on Hold

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A federal appeals court has put a drive to unionize Minnesota home day care workers on hold pending the outcome of a similar case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion Thursday.

Opponents of a law to unionize day care workers had appealed after Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis dismissed their lawsuit, saying it was premature. Davis refused to grant an injunction that would have kept day care workers from unionizing while the appeal was pending.

But the appeals court granted that injunction Thursday, pending a Supreme Court ruling on a similar law in Illinois.

Opponents of the unionization law say they are private business owners and being forced to associate with a union would violate their First Amendment rights.