Officials announced Monday new legislation aimed at giving home day care workers the right to unionize.

Day care workers in Brooklyn and the city are seeking to become part of the United Federation of Teachers in an effort to get better pay and benefits. The workers say they often must go through a lot of red tape in order to get paid. Workers even protested earlier this month after they say the state gave them a raise October 1 but never notified them. They are now petitioning for back pay.

The legislation will now go before the state Assembly and Senate. If enacted, New York would become the fourth state in the nation to allow home day care workers to unionize.