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Judge Rules on SEIU Lawsuit
Home care consumers and workers reacted jubilantly Thursday evening upon hearing the news that a U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction ordering the state of California to halt a proposed $2 an hour cut in wages for the state's 440,000 home care workers. The injunction has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers.
The injunction, issued by federal Judge Claudia Wilken, was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has 250,000 home care members in California.
"I'm very happy that the Court has ruled in favor of the thousands of elderly and disabled persons who depend on home care workers like myself," said Jimi Williams, a home care worker in Contra Costa County. "Many people have worked hard all their lives, paid taxes, and followed the rules - it's only fair that they get the assistance they need to stay in their homes."
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In Response to SEIU Lawsuit... Judge Orders State to Halt Wage Cut For California Home Care Workers
A U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction Thursday afternoon ordering the state of California to halt a proposed $2 cut in wages for the state's 400,000 home care workers. The injunction has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers.
The injunction, issued by federal judge Claudia Wilken, was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has 250,000 home care members in California.
"This ruling is bringing hope to hundreds of thousands of home care consumers and workers all across the state," said Mary Harms, a home care worker in Contra Costa County. "We had no choice but to ask the court to help us after the governor and legislature let everyone down and put so many people in danger."
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Bad way to treat angels
In-Home Supportive Services workers are being treated like people who have been getting handouts from the county and state governments. IHSS workers are not getting hand outs. They work hard and do jobs that most others won't do.
People wrinkle their noses when they find out you have to do "personal care" for a disabled or elderly person as a care provider.
IHSS workers get no overtime pay, no sick days or sick pay, no vacations or vacation pay, no holidays off or extra pay for working on holidays, no pension plan and no life insurance.
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Union sues Fresno Co. over pay cut for health-care workers
A labor union has sued Fresno County to prevent a pay cut for workers who provide in-home care for the elderly and those with disabilities.
The workers are paid $10.25 an hour and 85 cents an hour in benefits, but county supervisors voted in April to cut the overall compensation by $1 an hour effective July 1.
The cut was intended to reflect cuts in state funding that also are going into effect July 1, but the Service Employees International Union contends that the wage cut is illegal.
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CHARLES TAYLOR: Home-care workers must unite to protect future
This week and next, 10,000 Fresno home-care providers are making a decision that will change our lives forever.
As we face devastating state budget cuts, will we choose to abandon fellow workers from across the state to join a fledgling group with no members? Or will we stick with UHW SEIU, the largest home-care union in the country, which is leading efforts to stop the budget cuts and build us a better, more secure future.
For me, someone who has dedicated my life to in-home care, the decision is clear. United we stand. Divided we fall.
Reporter Barbara Anderson profiled families caring for aging loved ones, and wrote about the challenges of hiring trustworthy caregivers for older relatives [stories March 11]. At the heart of both stories are the dedicated men and women who selflessly and compassionately provide care to people who need assistance in their daily living.
In California, nearly 1.5 million frail, elderly, chronically ill or disabled people depend on long-term care to continue living safely in their own homes, with dignity and independence. More than 360,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities receive home care through the state's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program.
Though cases of fraud and abuse are negligible in this program, there's no doubt that a system for background checks would provide a measure of reassurance and security to families seeking assistance. That's why our organizations, representing more than 200,000 IHSS homecare workers, are sponsoring legislation to provide for these checks -- SB 868, Sen. Mark Ridley Thomas. We sponsored the same legislation last year; it passed both houses of the Legislature, but was vetoed by the governor. It is our sincere hope the governor signs this important bill this year.
Tyrone Freeman
President
California United Homecare Workers
United Long-Term Care Workers Union
Sacramento
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