Home care providers around the state are rallying to demand the wages and benefits our work calls for! Here’s the scoop on what some of our counties have been up to:
Merced County
Negotiations are heating up as home care providers make our voices heard at Board of Supervisors meetings. “We do this work because we love it, but love can’t pay our bills,” Merced provider Joanna Styre told the county in December. “Many of us are left without access to health care or having to apply for food stamps and other help, all because you refuse to give us the respectable wages our work deserves.”
Kern County
We’ve been taking the Board of Supervisors meetings by storm to demand “dollars, not cents!” for our first new contract in over seven years, and we’ve been working to educate the county on how the IHSS program impacts our communities. “I’m my client’s safety net, but where’s mine?” asked Julie Rocha, a Kern IHSS provider. “Where’s the dignity and respect for care workers?”
Plumas, Nevada and Sierra Counties
Congratulations to IHSS providers in the tri-counties! After months of negotiations, the UDW members reached a historic new contract that includes wage increases, health insurance, and dental and vision insurance. Way to go!
To find out how you can get involved in your local bargaining efforts, contact your local office: udw.org/contact-us.
