Workers call on Tulare County to honor Labor Day by respecting and investing in caregivers
Tulare, CA – In honor of Labor Day, Tulare County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caregivers, members of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union, rallied at the Tulare County Board of Supervisors office to demand fair wages and healthcare in honor of Labor Day. Joined by community allies and supporters from across the Central Valley, caregivers lifted their voices to underscore the urgent need for county leaders to respect, protect, and invest in the care workforce.
IHSS caregivers provide critical daily support that enables older adults and people with disabilities to live safely and independently at home. Yet, despite this essential role, many Tulare caregivers are paid poverty-level wages that leave them unable to afford housing, healthcare, and basic necessities. Workers are forced to take on multiple jobs just to survive, all while delivering vital care to the county’s most vulnerable residents.
“This Labor Day is supposed to honor the workers who built this country and fought for the rights we have today,” said Thomas Magana, a Tulare County IHSS caregiver. “But for caregivers like me, it’s also a reminder of how much we’re still fighting for. Too many of us are barely getting by—some are even losing their homes—while we care for seniors and people with disabilities. We know the system is broken. Tulare County must stop ignoring us and start investing in us.”
Caregivers emphasized that without meaningful investment, Tulare County risks losing the very workforce that keeps families and communities whole.
“IHSS work is incredibly important—the county simply can’t function properly without it,” said Maria Paredez, a Tulare County IHSS caregiver. “It’s not just a job. We provide vital services that deserve recognition and support from those we elect into leadership. This Labor Day, I urge the Tulare County Board of Supervisors to remember what’s at the root of this holiday: acknowledging workers and protecting working families like mine.”
As the state’s population ages and the need for care grows, caregivers warn that Tulare County cannot afford to fall further behind in supporting those who make independent living possible for thousands of residents.
“Tulare caregivers are on the frontlines of healthcare in their County, yet they have never been given compensation that reflects the high level of care they give to their recipients,” said SEIU 2015 Executive Vice President Marcus Mc Rae Alexander. “This needs to change, and Labor Day is the perfect time to say what needs to be said: Tulare caregivers need more than scraps if they’re going to give Tulare residents the highest level of care possible. Their new contract could change everything. We just need the Tulare Board of Supervisors to value and acknowledge all that providers bring to the table, so we can move along contract negotiations and get back to building the Future of Care that Tulare deserves.
To learn more about SEIU Local 2015 visit www.SEIU2015.org or @SEIU2015 on social media.