Amador County home care workers reach tentative contract agreement with IHSS Public Authority - SEIU2015

New contract would put IHSS workers on a path to $20/hour and expand access to healthcare

Amador County, CA – More than 500 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year union contract with the Amador County Public Authority for IHSS. These home care providers are members of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union representing more than half a million workers across California.

In Amador County, more than 500 IHSS workers provide essential home care services to older adults and people with disabilities.

If ratified by workers and approved by Supervisors, the new contract will include:

A $2.00 increase in the IHSS wage supplement over the life of the contract, bringing the total supplement to $3.50 above the state minimum wage.
Up to $3,000 annually for training, including critical skills like CPR and dementia care.
Expanded eligibility for healthcare benefits.

“We all worked very hard to reach an agreement that includes wage increases for the next three years as well as money for ongoing training,” said Lori Donaldson, an Amador home care worker and SEIU Local 2015 bargaining team member. “With everyday costs on the rise, many care providers are struggling, and this raise will provide some much needed relief.”

Amador care providers like Sarah Coulson report struggling to pay bills and manage household expenses, arguing that higher IHSS wages will provide greater financial stability for existing caregivers and attract new workers to this essential industry.

“Our members and County Supervisors worked together to secure this union contract, which will help IHSS workers provide for themselves and their families,” said SEIU Local 2015 Executive Vice President Kim Evon. “Their collective effort put Amador on a path toward a more just and equitable future of care where every person in the county can access the long-term care they need.”

SEIU Local 2015 negotiates with county Boards of Supervisors, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, and private home care agencies across California to secure union contracts, improve wages, benefits and working conditions, and empower workers with a voice in the care they provide.
To learn more about SEIU Local 2015, visit www.SEIU2015.org or on social media @SEIU2015. Click here to learn more about the Amador County IHSS contract campaign.