Statement from Arnulfo de la Cruz, President of SEIU Local 2015 – Nation’s Largest Long-Term Care Union – on President Biden’s State of the Union

Press Contact:
Terry Carter, 213 uies
February 8, 2023

“President Biden’s State of the Union address expressed a clear commitment to caregivers everywhere. In particular, his pledge to support in-home caregivers is a needed and welcome development that will help improve the lives of countless dedicated essential workers and the seniors and people with disabilities who they look after. 

At the same time, the demand for care jobs in the U.S., including for both nursing homes and in-home care, continues to grow at an exponential rate, and it is imperative that political leaders across the aisle recognize the urgent need to invest in long-term care infrastructure. And this isn’t just a moral or economic imperative – it is a matter of social justice. The majority of caregivers in our country are Black women, Indigenous women, women of color, and immigrants, and too many of these essential workers struggle with low wages and inadequate benefits.

More broadly, we also commend President Biden for the plans he outlined to combat the scourge of gun violence that affects every community across the country. We are optimistic that the Biden Administration is tackling this issue while simultaneously working to reform our criminal justice system, which will help to ensure our democracy and economy work for all people regardless of where they are from or the color of their skin.

We stand ready to continue to work with the Biden Administration to transform the long-term care industry and advance the nationwide movement to make unions accessible for all.”