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Mass. Foster Parents Plan To Unionize, Citing Virus Strains, Underfunded System

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More than 2,400 people house children through Massachusetts' foster care program, and many of them say the coronavirus pandemic has strained the already underfunded foster care system.

So, foster care workers are planning to unionize, becoming the first foster parent union in the country. They're being organized by the Service Employees International Union, Local 509.

Peter MacKinnon is president of the SEIU chapter. He joined WBUR's Deborah Becker to talk about what brought foster parents and the union together.

This segment aired on October 16, 2020.

Headshot of Deborah Becker

Deborah Becker Host/Reporter
Deborah Becker is a senior correspondent and host at WBUR. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education.

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