New contract brings IHSS wages above $20 an hour by 2028
Del Norte County, CA – The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a new three-year union contract with In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers, successfully concluding negotiations. IHSS providers are members of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union, representing more than half a million workers across California.
The contract includes a $1.75 increase in the IHSS wage supplement over the life of the contract, bringing the total supplement to $3.35 above the state minimum wage. It also retains an annual fund of $4,000 for training on critical skills like CPR, dementia care, and safe lifting.
The contract, including the initial $1.00 raise, will take effect after approval and implementation by the California Department of Social Services, likely around September 1.
IHSS is a social service that allows people who need long-term care to receive it in the comfort and safety of their own homes. In Del Norte County, more than 400 IHSS workers provide essential long-term care—including paramedical, personal care and household services—to older adults and people with disabilities.
Barbara Moran, an IHSS provider and member of the SEIU 2015 bargaining team, said the new contract arrives as the cost of living becomes especially high. “This wage increase will help our members pay for everyday essentials,” she said. “The price of gas keeps going up, as well as our utility bills. I’m happy to secure a contract that can help us make ends meet.”
In the long-term, Moran said, Del Norte County is making an investment in essential care services. “The only way we can attract new care providers to this industry is to offer a strong wage,” she said. “A contract like this helps to ensure we can meet the growing demand for care.”
“SEIU 2015 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 puts Del Norte 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.