Fresno County in-home caregivers to receive pay increase, union says
After two years of negotiations, thousands of Fresno County in-home care workers are poised to secure a pay bump and increased medical benefits.
The union that represents more than 500,000 caregivers across California announced a tentative contract agreement with the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.
If ratified by the SEIU Local 2015 members and approved by the Board of Supervisors, the new contract will provide hourly wage increases of $1.25 on top of the current $0.60, bringing wages to $18.35 an hour by September. The contract will also provide a 15-cent increase to health insurance.
Workers and union leaders celebrated the tentative agreement in a statement.
“We have fought the good fight for all our fellow SEIU 2015 members. We are happy that we have come to an agreement on our wages for all Fresno County care providers. It’s amazing to build collective power together and win for our communities to thrive,” said Fresno IHSS provider Olga Valle.
Administered by the Department of Social Services, California’s In-Home Supportive Services program provides eligible individuals with in-home services to keep people living safely in their homes. IHSS workers help with basic needs such as bathing, feeding, grocery shopping as well as mobility and restroom assistance.
Approximately 24,000 IHSS workers provide long-term care in Fresno County, making it the county’s largest public workforce.
The previous contract, approved in January 2020, expired in December 2022.
Negotiations for the three-year contract started in 2023. The union was pushing to raise hourly pay from $16.10 to $20 per hour.
As the country’s population is rapidly ages, the need for caregivers will continue to rise. One in six U.S. residents is over the age of 65 as of 2020, according to census data.
Population projections from the California Department of Finance estimate that by 2050, 18% of Fresno County residents will be over the age of 65.
The IHSS program is crucial for allowing elderly and individuals with disabilities to live in their homes.
A 2021 report from the California State Auditor said that the IHSS program saves the state millions of dollars — between $22,000 and $153,000 annually per recipient — since these individuals would likely otherwise be placed in long-term care.
SEIU endorsed two Supervisors
Marcus McRae, Executive Vice President of SEIU Local 2015, credited the progress on the tentative agreement to the newly elected “care champions” on the board.
The union endorsed Supervisors Luis Chavez and Garry Bredefeld in their bids for the board seats last November.
“The tentative agreement is an important indication that the new Fresno Board of Supervisors will be committed to supporting the needs of all of their constituents, including seniors and people with disabilities. As the need for caregivers continues to increase, agreements like this bring us closer to a Future of Care where we will be able to attract and retain enough providers,” McRae said.
“I think every worker has to be treated with respect,” Bredefeld said in a phone interview Tuesday. “Historically, IHSS workers haven’t (been). They are now.”
“I commend the board for moving forward with this it should be ratified,” Bredefeld said.
In a phone interview, Chavez said the union and the board has been known for its “adversarial relationship.” In 2019, union officials and labor rights advocate Dolores Huerta were getting handcuffed and removed from a Fresno County Board of Supervisors meeting.
But that’s changed, Chavez said.
“I think today is really the beginning of the next chapter in the county’s labor relations with our unions,” he said. Chavez said his colleagues asked him to be the point person in negotiating with SEIU 2015 because he has a longstanding relationship and trust with the union. Plus, his mom was a home care worker.
He’s also optimistic about the contract’s approval.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll get a unanimous vote from the Board of Supervisors,” Chavez said.
The union confirmed that members have until May 15 to vote on the contract.
Fresno County Spokesperson Sonja Dosti said the county could not comment on the contract until after the ratification vote has occurred and the new contract goes to the Board for final approval.
The Board is expected to vote on the contract during the May 20th meeting, Dosti said.
This story was originally published April 15, 2025 at 2:45 PM.
