Support Growing Seeds Workers

Last month I made passing mention of union organizing at the Growing Seeds North preschool in Portland on this blog. I sought to put that good work in a larger context and pose some questions for us to think about.

The Northwest Labor Press is running an article on the plight of the families and workers at Growing Seeds as the preschool has shut down and paychecks have bounced. The article by Cameron Crowell says the following:

The Growing Seeds North preschool at 6505 NE MLK Blvd. shut its doors July 18 after owner Nashae Lightbourn stopped paying bills, leaving its 16 teachers without final paychecks and around 50 families scrambling to find childcare. Teachers, who are represented by International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 5, told parents of the schools’ dire financial situation after their July 12 paychecks bounced.

Growing Seeds became the first preschool to join ILWU Local 5 when workers at its three locations voted to join in March 2020. But in March 2022, owner Kyrie Eppley sold off each location as an independent business. The Crystal Springs location at Reed College became Wander in Wonder, Growing Seeds Irvington was renamed Flouriche, and the Northeast MLK Jr. Blvd location was dubbed Growing Seeds North.

After Lightbourn took ownership of Growing Seeds North in 2022, teachers noticed common areas at the school getting dirtier, plants dying, and trash overflowing. Late or short paychecks became a regular occurance, says ILWU Local 5 Childcare Organizer Nat Glitsch. Then on May 31 staff were told the school was downsizing after getting evicted for not paying rent at one of the buildings on campus. The union says workers discovered the owners had stopped paying bills to janitorial contractors, healthcare premiums and workers’ comp insurance, along with the rent for their main facility for months.

“We are NOT asking you to work for free,” said Growing Seeds manager L.T. Lightbourn, the owner’s spouse, in a July 18 all-staff email that was shared with the Northwest Labor Press. “We are simply saying if you still believe in (Growing Seeds) and would like to help us keep moving forward please help. We will inevitably have to close our doors if we are unable to provide care. The truth is I can not give you a firm date on when funds will be released.”

Lightbourn did not respond to requests for comment before going to press.

The preschool hasn’t opened its doors since. On July 26, an email signed “Growing Seeds North,” informed staff they were laid off. Teachers have not received their last paychecks. Local 5 is helping workers file wage claims with Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries, and collecting online donations to help the laid off teachers at gofundme.com/f/help-gsn-teachers- recover-unpaid-wages.

Union preschools

ILWU Local 5 represents workers at seven Portland pre-schools.

* Wild Lilac 3829 SE 74th Ave.

* Wander in Wonder (formerly Growing Seeds Crystal Springs) – 2808 SE Steele St.

* Joyful Noise Downtown – 333 SW 1st Ave., Suite A

* Joyful Noise CityKids – 138 SW Clay St.

* Joyful Noise Metro – 600 NE Grand Ave.

* Joyful Noise East – 911 NE 11th Ave.

* Flouriche (formerly Growing Seeds Irvington) – 2808 NE MLK Jr Blvd.

KOIN TV ran a report by Ariel Salk and Aimee Plante on Growing Seeds on August 2 under the headline Teachers, families in financial ‘scramble’ from preschool’s abrupt closure that quoted teachers and parents speaking about the sudden closure of the center and also gave the gofundme information. One of the parents is quoted in that story as having said, “To disrespect us in such a way, to like, just refuse to communicate, refuse to apologize, refuse to be transparent is just – I mean – it’s angering. It’s disappointing." Those words no doubt cover much of what the workers are thinking and feeling as well.

The Growing Seeds owners and management look terrible here no matter how we slice the bread. Securing help and redress for the affected workers and families is the immediate task. I hope that readers will donate to the gofundme account. The bigger task is to sort out how, or if, unions can organize workers in preschools of this kind and what that unionism might look like and how it might relate to the communities that those schools serve. I can't help but think that what has happened with Growing Seeds makes for a strong argument for government contracting in of daycare and education.