Capitalists and small business (self employed) don’t care about productivity. I think they should care about productivity because workers are more reliable and effective, and should greatly care about low productivity. For example you loosen drug and alcohol laws, workers begin to miss more days of work, they get sloppy in their work etc.
I see no reason why capitalists should dislike childcare provision. Its not like its a free ride type of welfare that capitalists are opposed to, they would be smart enough to realize that giving childcare provisions allows parents to work more hours, which is better for the economy and companies. I don’t think they should be so heartless to expect mothers not to take maternity leave as well, having more maternity leave should effect opinion of trade unionists maybe?.
Maybe low productivity should increase unemployment a bit due to people getting laid off due to lack of effectiveness. Causing a splash over effect for trade unionists to care about low productivity.
The level of international trade should effect capitalist opinion as well, more international trade would indicate a more free market friendly policy (annoying trade unionists in the process as well because of extra international competition), while low international trade should indicate the opposite (capitalists don’t like it but trade unionist do).
I guess capitalists din’t like the childcare provisions because it’s redistribution of wealth. They’d say lower taxes in order for the average parent to be able to afford childcare (and rich parents wouldn’t need it anyway). As for the maternity leave, you were saying that capitalists should like productivity, but maternity leaves don’t improve productivity. From a productivity point of view, they would dislike maternity leave.
Maternity leave should actually -really- anger anyone involved in small business, since it can cripple small businesses. It isn’t just that it damages productivity. It also forces business to pay money to someone who isn’t working. That’s the part which can kill a small business.
Childcare provision is redistribution of wealth, yes. It also distorts the economy by hiding the real cost of having children, thus encouraging people to have more children than they otherwise would, possibly more than is wise/healthy/ideal. It creates an incentive that wouldn’t exist in the natural market, and capitalists don’t like that.
Additionally, it is unfair to anyone without children. Their money is being used to subsidize those who do have children.
You should notice, however, that high productivity increases the GDP, and a higher GDP makes capitalists happier. This means that the productivity-improving effects can cancel out the direct penalty, at least to some extent.