I know you’ve been hearing from your union a lot lately. That’s because there’s a lot at stake for long-term care workers and those you care for and we want to make sure you’re informed and have the opportunity to take action. If you’ve been engaged in union activities during these past few months, thank you for standing up for caregivers! And if you’re still seeking ways to plug into union campaigns, please know it’s never too late to get involved – we welcome you, and we have your back.
The proposed state budget harms long-term care
Earlier this month, Governor Newsom proposed a state budget that will harm the workers and communities who make California strong. This budget proposal doesn’t touch corporations or billionaires, but it targets care workers like you who are the backbone of California’s long-term care system. If this proposal budget passes, it could mean:
- Defunding programs that ensure safe, quality care in nursing homes
- Slashing IHSS hours from 66 to 50 hours a week
- Kicking over 110,000 older adults and disabled people off MediCal
Caregivers to rally in Sacramento on June 4th
More than 2,000 care workers like you are traveling to Sacramento on June 4th to tell the Governor and legislators that care is not a line item in a budget – it’s a lifeline for millions. And we’re prepared to fight for it, because our care counts. We’ll also be there to voice support for AB 283, our bill to strengthen California’s home care system with statewide collective bargaining for IHSS workers.
Please join us so we can send a strong message: caregivers need a statewide voice to end the care crisis and to prevent proposed cuts to our programs.
Defending Medicaid from federal cuts
For weeks, we stood united with unions, disability advocates, and children’s and veterans groups to stop a devastating $880 billion cut to Medicaid. Thanks to everyone who called, rallied, and met with lawmakers. Despite the pressure, House Republicans caved and approved the cuts. It’s a setback, but the fight’s not over. The Senate could still make changes, and we’ll be holding swing-district Republicans accountable. Learn more here – and stay tuned!
May 2025 union victories
We haven’t let all those state and federal fights slow us down!
- More than 100 nursing home workers from Inglewood Healthcare Center and Roseville Point Healthcare & Wellness joined SEIU 2015 after winning their union elections.
- IHSS providers in San Joaquin and Fresno counties ratified new union contracts with higher wages, and providers in Yolo County reached a tentative agreement on their next contract.
- More than 430 workers at Homebridge, a private home care agency in San Francisco, reached a tentative agreement on a new union contract.
- Nursing home workers in the Bay Area flexed their union power to win a wage class action grievance. They called out their employer’s failure to increase wages within an agreed upon time after their contract was signed, and they got $149,321 in retroactive pay
Protecting our immigrant siblings
This past month we flexed our union power by protesting the unlawful detention of a 2015 union sibling – an IHSS provider who has been living in the US legally for decades. She was detained while traveling back from visiting her sick father in Ireland, and she was held in an ICE detention center for more than two weeks, unable to provide care for her son who is her IHSS client. Thanks to the advocacy of many union members and allies, I’m so happy to share that she was released.
SEIU 2015 members attend a press conference in Santa Cruz for an IHSS provider who was detained while traveling. Click here to view photos
Building a strong, diverse union
In May, we celebrated Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We hosted events throughout the state to honor the cultures, histories, and contributions of our AANHPI siblings.
Executive Vice President Carmen Roberts and SEIU 2015 members attend the AANHPI celebration in Los Angeles. Click here to view photos.
Later on in June, we will be celebrating SEIU Local 2015’s 10th anniversary – stay tuned!