In April, UDW members joined hundreds of care workers from across the country in D.C. at the first-ever Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit, where we joined together to ask: who will care for care workers?
Several elected leaders stood with us to answer that question.
First, President Joe Biden hosted UDW members in the White House Rose Garden, where he signed a historic Executive Order that included $750 billion dollars to expand access to long-term care and child care and improve wages for home care workers and family child care providers.
Later that evening, Senators Bernie Sanders and Bob Casey hosted a town hall featuring care workers including UDW child care member Miren Algorri of San Diego County.
“We have carried the weight of the world on our shoulders without the care or recognition our work deserves,” Miren said in her testimony. “We are more than ready to tear down the broken systems to make way for the futures we deserve.”
UDW home care worker Sandy Moreno opened day one of the summit by telling her caregiving story: “This work is hard, but we do it because we care,” she said. “We do it because it’s essential. We do it because it’s the work that makes all other work possible.”
Sandy brought some to tears, fired up the crowd, and received a standing ovation.
“UDW members are always putting others first,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “But care workers can’t wait any longer.”
