Xavier Becerra pledges higher wages for Fresno County’s largest public workforce
California gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra pledged to support higher wages for in-home caregivers in a late-race pitch to workers in the final days before the state’s primary election.
During a campaign event Wednesday morning with approximately 60 members of the SEIU 2015 local at the union’s Fresno headquarters, the Democratic frontrunner stressed the importance of caregivers who keep elderly and disabled people out of nursing homes and institutional living. He said he and his wife were the caretakers for his father in his final years; he ultimately died in the Becerras’ home.
“You not only provide care and love to the patients, to the people, you help,” Becerra said to the crowd. “You save the tax period of California so much money.”
SEIU 2015 represents more than 400,000 caregivers across California and 29,000 in Fresno County, making it the largest public workforce in the county.
As of 2023, an estimated 23,000 Fresno County residents rely on publicly-funded in-home support care. And with the state’s aging population, demand for these services is expected to rise.
Becerra, former California attorney general, told reporters he supports increased pay for this workforce because it saves the taxpayers money in the long run.
A 2021 report from the California State Auditor said that the In Home Supportive Services 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.
“I will work with the legislature and with SEIU to see if we could have a more true, consistent way of providing the salary for these workers, and if possible, I would like to see us have a statewide basis for negotiations,” Becerra said.
SEIU 2015 has pushed for legislation to move bargaining for In Home Supportive Service workers (IHSS) from the county level to the state, arguing it’s a more efficient way to bargain and could help attract more workers to the field.
Oscar Maciel, a political organizer for SEIU 2015, said that while previous legislation has failed, they plan to support similar legislation under a new governor.
Last year, these workers secured a raise from $16.10 to $18.35 per hour in Fresno County, though they were aiming for $20 per hour.
Gubernatorial candidates make final push in Fresno
Wednesday’s visit was Becerra’s second stop in Fresno in less than a week.
On Saturday, Becerra addressed a crowd of more than 300 at downtown Fresno’s Doubletree Hilton. During that event, he focused on themes of family, opportunity in the Central Valley and his ties to the region, and encouraged attendees to get their families to vote for him.
“I believe the Central Valley will reward those of us who come visit Fresno and the Central Valley, because it is home,” he told reporters Wednesday.
Republican candidates Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton shared the stage in Clovis on Friday at an event hosted by the Fresno County and City Republican Women Federated.
Tom Steyer, a billionaire investor and another leading Democratic contender in the race, had events scheduled in Lemoore and Fresno on Saturday. Steyer previously held a “Shared Prosperity” town hall in Fresno in April.
The latest Democratic Party poll shows Becerra and Hilton are the likely top two finishers for the June 2 primary.
The top two candidates will face each other in the November general election.
