UDW, Author at UDW – Fighting for Workers and Our Communities | UDW

UDW member and activist Ms. Terry Walker-Dampier passed away earlier this month after a long battle with cancer. A UDW member and activist for more than two decades, Ms. Terry was loved by all who knew her, and will be sorely missed.

Fellow caregiver and UDW member Corie Crowson, District 4 Chair, knew and loved her well. “Ms. Terry was an amazing woman who was always there for me,” Corie says. “God gives his toughest battles to his strongest warriors and Ms. Terry definitely fought until her last breath.”

Ms. Terry’s legacy as a caregiver, community leader, and caring friend will not be forgotten. She stood up for what she believed in, speaking out and sharing her story in testimony to legislators at the Capitol in Sacramento and beyond. She traveled with her fellow UDW members across the country, participating in rallies and marches, conventions, and conferences. Her commitment to her union and our mission was undeniable.

“She loved her union,” said friend and fellow caregiver Astrid Zuniga, UDW’s Vice President. “Even on her most painful days she would come out and help out at the IHSS orientations, membership meetings, or board of supervisors meetings, and even after she no longer worked as an IHSS provider, she would volunteer at the office and at events.”

Ms. Terry held the rare honor of being a double-member of UDW—both as an IHSS provider and as a family child care provider, extending her exceptional care to her own grandchildren from her home. She juggled both roles for many years, while never missing a beat and continuing her participation in local bargaining efforts, statewide campaigns, and local community projects. And she did it all with genuine love and dedication. Even after her diagnosis, Ms. Terry continued to provide for those in her care.

“Terry Walker was UDW through and through,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “She greeted each and every person she met with love, and gave her all to UDW. For that we will be forever grateful.” “Terry is an amazing woman who helped and fought for other women and families in need,” added UDW Assistant Director Johanna Hester. “She will be greatly missed not just as a union activist and leader, but as a friend.”

Ms. Terry was known for making everyone in her presence feel loved, nurtured, supported, and guided. Anytime she saw someone in need, she would do her very best to extend a helping hand. It is that love, compassion, and dedication that will be her legacy—here at UDW, in her communities, and beyond. We miss you, Terry, and we hope to honor your memory as we continue our journey towards justice. Rest in power.

This Labor Day, UDW members from Riverside and Orange Counties rallied alongside union siblings from across Southern California to demand safe staffing at Kaiser Permanente hospitals.

Together, with hundreds of our fellow union members, we marched on Kaiser Permanente in Los Feliz and stood in solidarity as nurses, doctors, patients, hotel workers, and more, took part in civil disobedience to bring attention to the unsafe staffing that puts patients’ quality of care and lives on the line.

UDW members and leaders joined our parent union, AFSCME, for a stop in San Diego yesterday on their nationwide “Staff the Front Lines” tour.

The morning started with a listening session with leaders from AFSCME, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins. UDW members along with AFSCME Local 127 shared ideas about how to increase recruitment and retention across our workforces in San Diego.

Following the listening session, leaders and union members met with press to discuss the importance of public service work and encourage others to join our ranks.

“UDW members do the work that makes all other work possible—we’re the backbone of this city’s economy,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “Through our union, these frontline workers fought for and won vital protections during COVID. They pushed for the $15 minimum wage. They won overtime pay for caregivers for the first time in history.

And our child care providers just signed their second-ever historic contract with the state of California, increasing subsidy rates as high as 20% and building a pathway to retirement security and health care access.”

UDW child care member Miren Algorri also spoke during the listening session and press conference, telling reporters that, “when I was a little girl, I watched women like my mother strengthen and educate other women, me included, so that we could change what it means to be a family child care provider in California… and change we have made!”

“At the core,” she continued, “being a child care provider is about giving back to our communities, but now, thanks to all the hard work our union has put in, we can also have core benefits that help US grow and be successful.”

To learn more about the AFSCME Staff the Front Lines event in San Diego, click here.

Good news for my fellow IHSS providers!
Thanks to our determination and hard work, lawmakers passed a state budget that moves us even closer to statewide bargaining, creating a pathway toward better wages and dignity for IHSS providers! The budget mandates that the Department of Social Services (DSS) create a plan for implementing a better system for IHSS bargaining, due January 1, 2025. This is the next step in a multi-year process toward winning statewide bargaining for IHSS providers.
The budget also includes additional funding to increase access to IHSS for children with disabilities, and extends funding for the IHSS Career Pathways program through the end of 2024.
And the good news doesn’t stop there!
The budget also includes an increased fiscal penalty for counties who refuse to bargain with us
in good faith. As we renew our bargaining efforts across the state, recalcitrant counties will now face a 10% ongoing penalty until they come to the bargaining table with the wages, benefits, and respect we deserve. That’s as much as an $8 million penalty in some of our largest counties.
These are huge wins! Our work is paving a solid path toward statewide bargaining and giving us the leverage we need to continue bargaining at the county level in the meantime. We are in this fight for the long haul, and we will not stop until we have won what is rightfully ours—because when we fight, WE WIN!
In solidarity,
Editha Adams
IHSS Provider and UDW Statewide President

Gracias a nuestra determinación y esfuerzo, los legisladores aprobaron un presupuesto estatal que nos acerca aún más a la negociación estatal, creando un camino hacia mejores salarios y dignidad para los proveedores de IHSS. El presupuesto exige que el Departamento de Servicios Sociales (DSS) cree un plan para implementar un mejor sistema para la negociación de IHSS, que vence el 1 de enero de 2025. Este es el siguiente paso en un proceso de varios años para ganar la negociación estatal para los proveedores de IHSS.

El presupuesto también incluye fondos adicionales para aumentar el acceso a IHSS para niños con discapacidades y extiende los fondos para el programa IHSS Career Pathways hasta finales de 2024.

El presupuesto también incluye una mayor sanción fiscal para los condados que se nieguen a negociar con nosotros de buena fe. A medida que renovamos nuestros esfuerzos de negociación en todo el estado, los condados recalcitrantes ahora enfrentarán una multa continua del 10% hasta que lleguen a la mesa de negociaciones con los salarios, beneficios y el respeto que merecemos. Eso equivale a una multa de $8 millones en algunos de nuestros condados más grandes.
¡Estas son grandes victorias! Nuestro trabajo está creando un camino sólido hacia la negociación estatal y nos brinda la influencia que necesitamos para continuar negociando a nivel de condado mientras tanto. Estamos en esta lucha a largo plazo, y no nos detendremos hasta que hayamos ganado lo que es legítimamente nuestro, porque cuando luchamos, ¡GANAMOS!

Tin vui cho đồng nghiệp chăm sóc IHSS! Nhờ sự quyết tâm và tận tụy của chúng ta, các nhà lập pháp đã thông qua ngân sách tiểu bang giúp chúng ta tiến gần hơn đến việc thương thảo trên toàn tiểu bang, tạo ra con đường hướng tới mức lương và phẩm giá tốt hơn cho nhân viên chăm sóc IHSS! Ngân sách yêu cầu Bộ Dịch vụ Xã hội (DSS) xây dựng kế hoạch triển khai một hệ thống thương thảo IHSS tốt hơn, hiệu lực vào ngày 1 tháng Giêng 2025. Đây là bước kế tiếp trong quy trình nhiều năm để đạt được quyền thương thảo trên toàn tiểu bang cho nhân viên chăm sóc IHSS.
Ngân sách cũng bao gồm tài trợ bổ sung để tăng khả năng tiếp cận IHSS cho trẻ em khuyết tật và nới rộng tài trợ cho chương trình huấn luyện nghề nghiệp IHSS Career Pathways cho đến cuối năm 2024. Và tin vui không dừng ở đây! Ngân sách cũng bao gồm hình phạt tài chính gia tăng đối với các quận thiếu thiện chí thương thảo với chúng ta Khi chúng ta đổi mới các nỗ lực thương thảo trên toàn tiểu bang, các quận ngoan cố giờ đây sẽ phải đối mặt với hình phạt 10% liên tục cho đến khi họ ngồi vào bàn thương thảo cho mức lương, phúc lợi và sự tôn trọng mà chúng ta xứng đáng có được.
Đó là mức phạt 8 triệu đô la ở một số quận lớn nhất. Đây là những chiến thắng vỹ đại! Công việc của chúng ta đang mở ra một con đường vững chắc hướng tới thương thảo trên toàn tiểu bang và mang lại cho chúng ta ảnh hưởng cần để tiếp tục thương thảo ở cấp quận trong thời gian chờ đợi. Chúng ta đang tham gia cuộc chiến lâu dài này và chúng ta sẽ không dừng lại cho đến khi đạt được những gì thuộc về mình—bởi vì khi tranh đấu, CHÚNG TA CHIẾN THẮNG!
Trong tinh thần đoàn kết,
Editha Adams
Nhân viên Chăm sóc IHSS kiêm Chủ tịch Toàn tiểu bang UDW

APRIL – Family child care providers captured a snapshot of their lives with special guest, “Flat Newsom”, and delivered pictures and notes highlighting what a fairer wage would mean to them and the children
in their care.

MAY 11 – Nearly 1,000 home care providers and allies rallied at the capitol, demanding the right to negotiate wages and benefits with the state directly, recognizing the value of their essential work. #OurCareCounts

MAY 24 – Family child care providers met with more than 60 legislators in Sacramento to ask for their support in securing a contract that would pay providers the true cost of care.

JUNE 15 – Thousands rallied at Sacramento’s capitol, urging Governor Newsom to fulfill his promise of supporting family child care providers with an updated pay rate system covering the true cost of care.

JUNE 22 – Family child care providers hosted a vigil in front of the Governor’s mansion to shed light on the disrespect and injustice they’ve endured during contract negotiations.

JULY 11 – Members throughout the state gathered for lively picnics and enjoyed the sun, delicious food, and the great company of union siblings to kick off the summer!

Resumen de Mayo — Julio
ABRIL – los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar capturaron una instantánea de sus vidas con el invitado especial, “Flat Newsom”, y entregaron fotos y notas que destacan lo que significaría un salario más justo para ellos y los niños.
en su cuidado.

11 DE MAYO – Casi 1,000 proveedores de atención en el hogar y nuestros aliados se manifestaron en el capitolio, exigiendo el derecho a negociar salarios y beneficios directamente con el estado, reconociendo el valor de nuestro trabajo esencial. #NuestroCuidadoCuenta

24 DE MAYO – Los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar se reunieron con más de 60 legisladores en Sacramento para pedir su apoyo para asegurar un contrato que pagaría a los proveedores el costo real del cuidado.

15 DE JUNIO – Miles de nosotros nos manifestamos en el capitolio de Sacramento, exigiendo al gobernador Newsom que cumpliera su promesa de apoyar a los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar con un sistema de tarifas de pago actualizado que cubra el costo real de cuidado.

22 DE JUNIO – Los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar organizaron una vigilia frente a la mansión del gobernador para llamar atención a la falta de respeto e injusticia que hemos sufrido durante las negociaciones del contrato con el estado.

11 DE JULIO – ¡Los miembros de todo el estado se reunieron para disfrutar de divertidos días de campo y disfrutaron del sol, la comida deliciosa y la gran compañía de los hermanos del sindicato para comenzar el verano!

THÁNG TƯ – Nhân viên giữ trẻ em tại gia đã ghi lại một hình ảnh về cuộc sống của họ với vị khách đặc biệt, “Flat Newsom”, đồng thời gửi những hình ảnh và ghi chú nhấn mạnh mức lương công bằng hơn sẽ có ý nghĩa như thế nào đối với họ và những đứa trẻ họ chăm sóc.

11 THÁNG NĂM – Gần 1.000 nhân viên chăm sóc tại gia và các đồng minh đã tập hợp tại thủ đô, đòi hỏi quyền thương thảo lương bổng và quyền lợi trực tiếp với tiểu bang, đồng thời công nhận giá trị của công việc thiết yếu của họ.

24 THÁNG NĂM – Nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia đã gặp hơn 60 nhà lập pháp ở Sacramento để yêu cầu họ hỗ trợ trong việc đảm bảo một hợp đồng sẽ trả cho nhân viên giữ trẻ chi phí chăm sóc đích thực .

15 THÁNG SÁU – Hàng ngàn người đã tập hợp tại thủ phủ của Sacramento, thúc giục Thống đốc Newsom thực hiện lời hứa hỗ trợ nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia với một hệ thống tỷ lệ chi trả được cập nhật bao gồm chi phí chăm sóc dich thực.

22 THÁNG SÁU – Nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia đã tổ chức một đêm không ngủ trước dinh thự của Thống đốc để làm sáng tỏ sự thiếu tôn trọng và bất công mà họ đã phải chịu đựng trong quá trình đàm phán hợp đồng.

11 THÁNG BẢY – Hội viên trên khắp tiểu bang đã tụ tập trong những buổi píc níc sôi động, tận hưởng ánh nắng mặt trời, thức ăn ngon và sự đồng hành tuyệt vời của các anh chị em nghiệp đoàn để mở đầu cho mùa hè!

This June, more than 2,000 family child care and home care providers took to the streets of Sacramento to demand a contract that better reflects the true cost of providing affordable, quality child care in our state.

After months of stagnant contract negotiations with the state, union siblings from Imperial County all the way up to Siskiyou County hopped on busses and made the long journey to the state capitol. We sacrificed sleep, but it was a small price to pay to ensure our voices were heard. And that’s exactly what we did! Together, we made the windows in the Capitol rattle as we chanted and marched around the Capitol and reminded our legislators what’s at stake—our children’s future.

We called on Governor Newsom to keep his promises to child care providers and made our asks clear: family child care providers need an increase in reimbursement rates, retirement benefits, accessible health care, paid time off, and the elimination of family fees.

Before the day’s end, the state legislature approved $1 billion in the state budget for family child care providers—a huge stepping stone that soon led to new tentative contract with the state that includes:
• Rate increases for subsidized children and a pathway to implement provider payment based on the actual cost of providing care
• $80 million for a historic, first-of-its-kind retirement fund
• Ongoing funding for healthcare and training
• A two-year extension of payment by enrollment, not attendance
• Modifications to the number of hours for part-time care, allowing more kids to qualify for full-time rates
• And so much more!

Our power is undeniable, especially when home care and child care providers fight side-by-side to ensure our diverse communities can grow and thrive. As we grow, we’ll continue to work hand-in-hand and raise each other up to fight for and win a better future for us all!

Este junio, más de 2,000 proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar y cuidado en el hogar salieron a las calles de Sacramento para exigir un contrato que refleje mejor el costo real de brindar cuidado infantil asequible y de calidad en nuestro estado.

Después de meses de negociaciones contractuales estancadas con el estado, los hermanos sindicalizados desde el condado de Imperial hasta el condado de Siskiyou se abordaron autobuses e hicieron el largo viaje hasta la capital del estado. Sacrificamos el sueño, pero fue un pequeño precio a pagar para garantizar que nuestras voces fueran escuchadas. ¡Y eso es exactamente lo que hicimos! Juntos, hicimos vibrar las ventanas del Capitolio mientras cantábamos y marchábamos a su alrededor y les recordamos a nuestros legisladores lo que estaba en juego: el futuro de nuestros hijos.

Le pedimos al gobernador Newsom que cumpliera sus promesas a los proveedores de cuidado infantil y aclaramos nuestras peticiones: los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar necesitan un aumento en las tasas de reembolso, beneficios de jubilación, atención médica accesible, tiempo libre pagado y la eliminación de las tarifas familiares.

Antes de que terminara el día, la legislatura estatal aprobó mil millones de dólares en el presupuesto estatal para proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar, una gran ayuda que pronto condujo a un nuevo contrato tentativo con el estado que incluye:

Nuestro poder es innegable, especialmente cuando los proveedores de atención en el hogar y de cuidado infantil luchan juntos para garantizar que nuestras diversas comunidades puedan crecer y prosperar. ¡A medida que crezcamos, continuaremos trabajando juntos y ayudándonos unos a otros para luchar y ganar un futuro mejor para todos nosotros!

CHÚNG ĐÃ LÀM ĐƯỢC ! Đoàn kết lo cho nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia

Tháng Sáu này, hơn 2.000 nhân viên giữ trẻ và nhân viên chăm sóc tại gia đã xuống đường ở Sacramento để yêu cầu có một hợp đồng phản ánh đích thực chi phí của dịch vụ giữ trẻ chất lượng, với giá phải chăng ở tiểu bang.

Sau nhiều tháng trì trệ đàm phán hợp đồng với tiểu bang, các anh chị em nghiệp đoàn từ Quận Imperial đến tận Quận Siskiyou đã đi xe buýt và thực hiện cuộc hành trình dài đến thủ phủ của tiểu bang. Chúng ta đã hy sinh giấc ngủ, nhưng đó là một cái giá nhỏ phải trả để đảm bảo nguyện vọng của chúng ta được lắng nghe. Và đó chính là những gì chúng ta đã làm! Cùng nhau chúng ta đã khiến các cửa sổ ở điện thủ phủ rung lên khi chúng ta hô hào cổ động và diễn hành quanh điện để nhắc nhở các nhà lập pháp về những gì đang bị đe dọa là tương lai của con cái chúng ta.

Chúng ta kêu gọi Thống đốc Newsom giữ lời hứa với nhân viên giữ trẻ và nêu rõ lời yêu cầu của chúng ta như: nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia cần tăng tỷ lệ hoàn trả, quyền lợi hưu trí, bảo hiểm sức khỏe dễ tiếp cận, giờ nghỉ được trả lương và loại bỏ phí gia đình.

Trước cuối ngày, cơ quan lập pháp tiểu bang đã phê duyệt 1 tỷ đô la trong ngân sách tiểu bang cho nhân viên giữ trẻ tại gia —một bước tiến vỹ đại giúp sớm ký hợp đồng dự kiến mới với tiểu bang bao gồm:

Không thể nào phủ nhận sức mạnh của chúng ta, đặc biệt là khi nhân viên chăm sóc tại gia và nhân viên giữ trẻ sát cánh tranh đấu để đảm bảo các cộng đồng đa dạng của chúng ta có thể phát triển và thịnh vượng. Khi chúng ta phát triển, chúng ta sẽ tiếp tục cùng nhau hợp tác và nâng đỡ lẫn nhau để đấu tranh và đạt lấy một tương lai tốt đẹp hơn cho tất cả chúng ta!

Families of four with incomes of up to $96,300 are eligible for subsidized child care, under new state income limits, and those with incomes under roughly $85,000 will pay no ‘family fees’ for it

Child care providers across California are voting on an agreement some advocates are hailing as “transformative” for the beleaguered industry.

The state has promised and set deadlines to overhaul its reimbursement model for providers of subsidized care, which advocates believe is key to solving the shortage of child care in California.

The state has also agreed to significantly reduce, and in many cases eliminate, the fees that low-income families must pay to receive state-subsidized child care.

In a state where child care for the youngest children typically costs more than $19,000 a year, California provides financial help for some low-income families toward it. Families who make 85 percent of the state median income or below — that’s up to $96,300 pre-tax annually for a family of four — are eligible for subsidized child care, according to the state’s income limits for the current fiscal year.

But the subsidy system doesn’t reach four out of five young California children who qualify for it, The San Diego Union-Tribune found in a January investigation.

And for the low-income families that it does serve, the subsidized care used to come at a hefty price.

Families have had to pay 10 percent of their monthly income as a “family fee” or co-payment for their subsidized child care — as much as $607 a month.

Federal law requires states to charge family fees on a sliding scale for subsidized care. But it leaves it up to states to decide how much and which families to charge.

Advocates for years have criticized California’s fees as inequitable and unaffordable for low-income families, noting that other states charge much less. South Dakota, for instance, charges no more than $82 a month; Oregon charges up to $130 a month and Washington state charges up to $215.

California has used COVID-19 aid to waive family fees since the onset of the pandemic, but before this summer’s budget deal, the fees had been set to return this year.

Laura Flores became a caregiver when she least expected it. Her love, dedication, and attention changed the life of a young man when he needed help the most—and caring for him changed her life, too.

Laura’s journey began in the fall of 2022, when she met Leobardo Juarez, a young houseless man near her home in Kern County. She learned that Leobardo had lost his sight, and with it his stability and his home. He was all alone and needed help, and without hesitation Laura extended a helping hand.

Laura and her family embraced Leobardo in their home, giving him a safe haven to rest and making sure his basic needs were met. Laura helped him get the medication, basic services, and care that he needed. She took him to his medical appointments, which is where she discovered the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program.

In less than five months, Laura’s unwavering dedication guided Leobardo through two life-changing eye surgeries, restoring hope and vision to his world. From strangers to family, their bond grew stronger. Leobardo had a place to call home and a family to lean on.

Tragically, Leobardo died suddenly just a few months after regaining his sight. It was devastating, and Laura was left to decide where Leobardo’s final resting place would be. Laura had never met Leobardo’s family, but she did everything she could and after a few short days she found out that they lived in Guerrero, Mexico. She knew Leobardo was meant to make his way home to rest in peace, a difficult and costly endeavor.

Laura and her family jumped into action. They sold homemade tamales, collected donations, jumped through hoops and red tape, and after raising thousands of dollars, were finally able to reunite Leobardo with his family in his hometown so that he could be laid to rest.

Helping Leobardo was Laura’s first experience as a care provider and today her heart remains devoted to caring for others. Through the IHSS program, she cares for her own aging parents as well as a blind woman in her neighborhood. Beyond providing essential services, Laura goes the extra mile, lending a helping hand with schoolwork to her client’s son and offering her heart to those she cares for.

Although Laura’s story may seem rare—who among us can say that we have opened our homes to complete strangers like she did?—it echoes the compassion and dedication to care shared by countless home care workers across California.

And though this work feels like a calling to so many of us, we should not have to face the challenges of caregiving alone, much less systemic challenges like the homelessness and housing crisis in our state. In order to address these issues we must stand united to bring about change and fight for our rights and the policies and legislation needed to effect real change in our communities. Together, we can be the champions of compassion and justice in our communities and beyond.

(1) California State Auditor: https://www.auditor.ca.gov/issues/briefs/housing-and-homelessness

(2) Public Policy Institute of California: https://www.ppic.org/blog/homeless-populations-are-rising-around-california/

SACRAMENTO – UDW/AFSCME Local 3930, a union representing over 171,000 home care workers and family child care providers in California, issued the following statement on the 2023-24 State Budget:

“We are deeply grateful to Governor Gavin Newsom, and the leadership of Senate President pro-Tempore Toni Atkins, Speaker Anthony Rendon, Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting, and Senate Budget Chair Nancy Skinner, for creating a state budget that invests significantly in two of our most vital workforces, the home care and family child care providers that make all other work possible.

This year’s budget includes over $1 billion to increase reimbursement rates for all family child care providers statewide and increases access to subsidized child care for low-income Californians by implementing permanent family fee reform.

Importantly, the budget also creates a pathway toward better wages and dignity for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers by mandating the Department of Social Services to design an implementation plan for statewide collective bargaining. This is a vital first step towards bringing equity and a true living wage to IHSS caregivers, and would not have been possible without the power of over 600,000 home care workers who stood together to declare that Our Care Counts.

We are also very pleased that the Governor signed into law a 10% ongoing fiscal penalty for counties who refuse to bargain in good faith with IHSS providers. While we await the state’s plan to implement statewide bargaining, IHSS providers must continue to bargain at the county level, and this penalty should incentivize counties to bring fair proposals to the table.

This budget is a huge victory for both home care and family child care providers in California, and we thank our elected leaders for standing with us.”

After months of negotiations and a number of vigils, marches and rallies to spur public support, California’s unionized child care providers have reached a new labor deal with the state.

The new tentative contract agreement addresses provider demands for increased rates and guaranteed funding for health care and retirement funds.

“This is a welcome relief, because it relieves some stress,” said Charlotte Neal, who runs a 24-hour child care business out of her home in South Natomas. “It means providers can keep their doors open.”

The deal sets aside nearly $600 million for pay raises, in the form of increased subsidy rates, over the next two years. It earmarks $80 million each year for retirement, $100 million annually for health care and additional funds for training and continuing education. Providers also received a two-year extension on a policy that allowed them to be paid based on enrollment rather than attendance – a policy that provides a financial cushion in case of unexpected absences. The union Child Care Providers United first announced the agreement late last Friday, June 30 – just hours before the previous contract was set to expire. Members will vote to ratify the contract within the next few weeks.

Still, CCPU, which represents the more than 40,000 child care workers in California, had hoped for more. “It’s not all of what we wanted,” Neal said. “But this is a great start.”

The child care, elected bargaining team is excited to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on our new, 2-year contract with the State of California!

With over 3,000 child care and IHSS providers rallying at the state capitol and returning repeatedly to Sacramento over the past months, along with the thousands of phone calls and our overwhelming digital actions, such as sending thousands of emails and sharing social media posts, we made Governor Newsom aware that we would not back down. The result of our organizing and collective power is that he finally listened!

Along with rates and benefits, we won a two-year extension of payment by enrollment, not attendance, and we renegotiated what qualifies as part-time hours, making it more sustainable to care for children.

This contract, not unlike our first, is historic in so many ways, but none of it would have been possible without both IHSS and child care providers coming together and fighting in unison until the end! Our tenacity and power are undeniable and have proven once again, that when we fight, WE WIN!

More details of the agreement will be available in the coming week. Members must vote to make this contract official, so make sure to look out for information on the ratification vote coming soon!

Gabriela Guerrero’s children are all grown and have moved out, but the former stay-at-home mom never stopped raising kids.

The children who attend her home daycare in El Centro, in Imperial County near the Mexico border, are as young as 3 months old. Some are the children of farmworkers who drop them off at Guerrero’s house before their shifts in the pre-dawn hours. Nearly all are from families poor enough to qualify for state subsidies.

Many of the families can’t afford basic needs, Guerrero said, so the 57-year-old makes sure to provide their children with milk, diapers and sometimes clothes.

“I want the families to go to work knowing that (their children are) well taken care of, and they’re being loved and fed correctly,” she said.

Guerrero’s labor of love barely earns her a living. After paying two assistants and other costs, she figures she takes home about $3 or $4 an hour. She takes on credit card debt to keep her business going.

For years family child care providers — the vast majority of them women of color — have said they don’t get paid enough by the state of California to cover the costs of their businesses. Their fight for better pay and benefits, a two-decades-old effort, is reaching a fever pitch in California’s capital this year.

They’re pressing Gov. Gavin Newsom to raise their pay, and they have the Legislature on their side. Lawmakers put $1 billion for raises in their version of a state budget that they passed last week. That funding remains one of the key differences between Newsom and the Legislature as they hammer out a budget deal before July 1 that accounts for an estimated $32 billion deficit.

Behind the white iron gate of her Boyle Heights home, Adriana Lorenzo’s concrete courtyard is filled with half a dozen tricycles, a basketball hoop and the melodic cadences of classical music that resonate through the play area. “It keeps the kids happy and calm,” she says.

Lorenzo owns her own child-care program, taking care of 14 children. On a recent Wednesday, she holds baby Elijah, 13 months, close to her chest, swaying back and forth as she brushes the hair from his eyes. Lorenzo has been working since 5 a.m., when she got up to sanitize the bathrooms and cook pancakes and eggs for the children before they began arriving at 6:30 a.m. Her last charge won’t head home until after 5:30 p.m.

She works 13 hours a day, five days a week, wiping tears, kissing owies, teaching the ABCs, and bending over to pick up countless toys. Nearly all her children come from low-income families and qualify for statevouchers that pay for the care. The rate varies by the age of a child, but for a 2-year-old, California pays Lorenzo up to $1,006 per month. After covering all her business expenses, including electricity, supplies, rent, food and the salary of a full-time aide, she says her childcare operation brings in about $1,000 per month.

So at midnight several times a week, she and her husband, who helps with the business, head out in their truck for a second shift: delivering food and packages for Amazon Flex.

California’s voucher rates are at the heart of a battle brewing over how much the state pays home child-care providers like Lorenzo, who run day care programs out of their homes. Such programs are licensed by the state and operators can care for up to 14 children at a time, sometimes some as young as 2 weeks old. Often, they are the only care option for parents working nontraditional hours — the farmworkers who start before dawn, janitors on the graveyard shift, the warehouse workers stocking shelves overnight. Most in-home child-care providers are women of color, many of them immigrants.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As we head into the summer months with schools out, many parents sifting through child care options have found most out of their price range.

For Paulina Coronado, being a mom is about making sure her son is taken care of, which can be difficult, especially living off her own income working part-time while in school.

“Even if you make $30 an hour, that’s not enough to make towards your child care,” said Coronado.

Her son 3-year-old son Leo has been going to Little Blossoms Child Care in Chula Vista since he was a year old.

Even though Coronado gets some financial assistance from the state to cover child care costs, like most families, there’s still an out-of-pocket cost that can be pricey.

Coronado said, “If I didn’t have the help that I have, basically all my paycheck would go towards care. So I don’t think I’d be able to make ends.”

Little Blossoms Child Care Director Miren Algorri said that’s a situation many families must deal with.

“Now you’re putting these families to make a decision whether to have a roof above their heads, food on the table or pay for the family fees,” said Algorri.

Pamela never quite imagined herself as a family child care provider. She had planned her life around her career as a military police officer, and served proudly for many years. While serving overseas, Pamela met her now husband of over 20 years. Today, the family of five lives in Siskiyou County, where Pamela has dedicated the past decade to providing affordable, quality care to the families in her community—even in spite of a recent cancer diagnosis.

It all started in 2007 when the couple returned to the United States after years of overseas deployments, and while stationed at Fort Irwin in San Bernardino County, they celebrated the birth of their first child. Like many working moms before her, Pamela made the difficult decision to leave her career to care for her son. But she still wanted to make a difference in her community, too, so she started taking classes and earned her associate’s degree in early childhood education.

The family grew from three to four and moved to Siskiyou County, where Pamela’s husband started a new job at the Forest Service and she worked at the local elementary school while pursuing her B.A. But it was difficult finding affordable child care in Siskiyou County—so Pamela vowed to do something about it.

Opening her own family child care gave Pamela the opportunity to have an active part in her young children’s educational development while also helping other families in her community. It was the best of both worlds, but it was not without its struggles. Like most family child care providers in California, low rates and lack of benefits can make doing this vital work that much harder.

Pamela’s passion for education can be seen in everything she does with the children in her care—from providing developmentally appropriate toys and integrating nature walks and other outdoor activities into her curriculum to promote health and balance.

And, since being diagnosed with cancer and multiple sclerosis, she has only closed her doors twice: once when she began multiple sclerosis treatment, and the other when her husband helped her shave her hair after starting chemotherapy. With the help of an assistant, she now serves six children between the ages of 14 months and 4 years old. Through it all, her passion for care has never wavered.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Pamela also puts her all into being an active member of her union. Even while battling two difficult diagnoses, Pamela is a member of our bargaining team and is helping in the fight for an improved rate structure that accurately reflects the true cost of care. She knows that our voices are what make us such a powerful union and will keep on fighting for herself and her fellow family child care providers.

She has gone above and beyond the status quo of any family child care provider, continuing to provide care for those in her community, and even using her diagnoses and life obstacles as teaching moments in her classroom. Her commitment to educating and caring for the children at her daycare is inspiring, and her story serves as a reminder of the challenges that family child care providers in California face and the dedication it takes to provide quality care despite those challenges.

To learn how you can join Pamela and others in our fight for better reimbursement rates, a path to retirement, and more, please call our Member Resource Center at 800-621-5016.

SACRAMENTO – The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union of 165,000 California home care workers and family child care providers, issued the following statement in response to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Budget Proposal on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS):

“We are pleased to see the governor’s commitment to fully funding the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program in the next fiscal year, but we must remember that as the demand for IHSS care continues to grow, we will soon face an estimated labor shortage of 3.2 million direct care workers.

Investing much-needed funding into increasing access to IHSS for minors with disabilities is one step towards addressing this crisis. However, we have a long way to go towards guaranteeing access to long-term care for every Californian who needs it, and we must start by investing in better wages and benefits for home care workers in order to bring dignity and respect to this vital profession.

We are disappointed that the revised budget does not include commitments to increase reimbursement rates or investment in benefits for our state’s 40,000 family child care providers, who are the backbone of California’s economy. A one-time cost of living increase is not enough when negotiations remain stagnant and many child care providers are struggling.

We look forward to continuing conversations with Governor Newsom and working together to make real change for both of these essential workforces.”

Members of the Child Care Providers United (CCPU) union say the childcare system in California is close to a “breaking point” but say they can’t stop.

SAN DIEGO — Childcare providers across California rallied Monday, asking state leaders to help them stay open.

Members of the Child Care Providers United (CCPU) union say the childcare system in California is close to a “breaking point” but say they can’t stop now.

As a working mom in the U.S. Navy, Salena Maxwell knows how hard it can be to find someone trustworthy to care for kids. Lucky for her, she found Genny Leal.

“I would be terrified not knowing who am I going to leave my child with if my daycare provider is closed,” she said.

It’s why they joined members of the CCPU, rallying in several cities across California on what they’re calling a “Day Without Childcare.”

What would happen if there was no child care? It could cause an upheaval to our economy. That’s the point parents and child care providers wanted to make when they declared Monday a nationwide Day Without Child Care.

“How is it going to be for a parent that needs to go to work, and all of a sudden their day care is closed? Me — as a parent — I would be terrified not knowing who I’m going to leave my child with if my day care provider is closed,” said child care provider with the Child Care Providers Union in San Diego Genny Leal.

The group held a demonstration to highlight the need for affordable child care and better pay for child care staff.

“Even though we don’t get benefits like retirement … or vacation time … we’ve been there providing this service to help families,” said experienced child care provider Rosa Estrada.

Many facilities have gone out of business or face staffing shortages, limiting the amount of kids they can care for.

May 1 is celebrated around the world as International Workers’ Day. The U.S. chose to celebrate Labor Day in September because they wanted to distance the holiday from its more radical roots—but at UDW, we embrace our history!

The early labor movement helped pave the way for the foundation of UDW, as well as nationwide job protections and rights.

Today, we continue in that tradition as we fight for home care and family child care providers, demanding lawmakers see the value and dignity in our work. We may stand on the backs of giants, but we are also writing our own history and paving a new path for labor as we win victory after victory.

We saw it then and we see it now: when workers unite in solidarity, we make history! From higher wages to overtime pay and paid leave, we have seen the life-changing impact our voices have when we work together.

Celebrate Labor History Month and International Workers’ Day by getting involved in our fight for a better workplace for all!

This week UDW leaders and members joined hundreds of care workers from across the country in D.C. at the first-ever Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit hosted by our partners at National Domestic Workers Alliance.

At the summit, we connected with other caregivers, including home care providers, family child care workers, and CNAs. We marveled at how, in spite of our geographical differences, so many of our stories and experiences and struggles are fundamentally the same – we care for our nation’s loved ones and children, but who cares for us?

First, President Joe Biden hosted a group of workers in the White House Rose Garden, including UDW members Sandy Moreno, Luz Cedeno, and Marilyn Smith and leaders Doug Moore and Johanna Hester.

There, we looked on as the President signed an Executive Order that included $150 billion dollars to expand access to long-term care and improve wages for home care workers, and $600 billion to expand access to child care and improve wages for child care workers.

“Being at the White House was just… awesome,” UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said, struggling to find the words to describe the momentous occasion. “We didn’t expect this. It’s historic.”

Later that evening, Senators Bernie Sanders and Bob Casey hosted a town hall featuring a CNA from North Carolina, a home care worker from Pennsylvania, and UDW child care member Miren Algorri of San Diego County.

“Direct care workers, all of you, are the true heroines and heroes of our economy, and it’s about time that we treat you with the respect and the dignity that you deserve,” said Senator Sanders, addressing the crowd of over 200 care workers.

“We have carried the weight of the world on our shoulders without the care or recognition our work deserves,” Miren echoed in her testimony. “We are more than ready to tear down the broken systems to make way for the futures we deserve.”

“This work is hard, but we do it because we care,” she said. “We do it because it’s essential. We do it because it’s the work that makes all other work possible.”

When asked about what attending the summit meant to them, here’s what our members had to say:

“I’m delighted to be here,” said IHSS provider Diana Casanova from Madera County. “I’ve learned so much about what our brothers and sisters across the nation are fighting for. It’s empowering.”

“I can’t take love to the bank,” added Charlotte Neal, child care provider from Sacramento County. “Love doesn’t pay my mortgage. I take care of everybody else, so who’s gonna take care of me?” A sentiment shared by the hundreds of care workers who attended this week’s summit. But luckily, Miren reminded us, “Care workers are the ones who have the solutions to these problems. We just need somebody to listen.”

President Joe Biden this week signed a major executive order to improve care for working families and support care workers.

The executive order came as care workers from across the country – including many AFSCME members – met in Washington, D.C., for a first-ever summit to highlight the critical need for a stronger care economy.

“Today, we celebrate a major milestone in our effort to address the crisis in care and win respect and recognition for care workers,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said in a press statement responding to the executive order. Improving care, he added “is critical to building a strong, thriving economy. For too long, the care workforce, made up disproportionately of women of color, has been undervalued and underpaid.”

Saunders attended the signing ceremony for the executive order on Tuesday at the White House alongside the executive director of United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930), Doug Moore, who is also an AFSCME vice president, and UDW members.

The event was held as care workers from across the country – such as family child care providers and home care providers – gathered with union leaders and leaders of advocacy organizations for the “Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit,” organized by a coalition led by the National Domestic Workers Alliance. The goal of the event was to educate the public about the importance of the care economy and the critical contributions of care workers, emphasizing the growing need for a strong care infrastructure for the future.

The summit featured individuals who shared their experiences working in the care economy, as well as labor leaders and members of Congress. While speaking at the event, Saunders urged care workers to persist in their struggle for respect, dignity and security in their jobs.

“I believe we are turning a corner,” Saunders said. “We are raising awareness, lifting up the role that care workers play in creating and maintaining a healthy society.”

Despite the progress, “we have to keep the heat turned up,” he added. “We have to stand up and speak out. We have to keep educating, organizing and mobilizing. We have to fight like hell every single day for the resources you need.”

Speakers and participants at the summit emphasized the essential function of care workers and family caregivers not only in protecting society’s most vulnerable but in making it possible for other essential workers to report to work.

They drew a stark contrast between what is expected of this workforce and what is offered in return. Workers put in long hours that often go unrewarded – despite 2016 regulations, which AFSCME fought for, making home care workers eligible for minimum wage and overtime protections. Their sacrifices are hardly ever acknowledged, and many care workers are forced to live at the edge of poverty, with few benefits, lack of access to health care and little opportunity to save for the future.

“This work is hard, but we do it because we care, because it’s essential, and because it’s the work that makes all other work possible,” said Sandy Moreno, a home care provider from California City, California, and a UDW member “We deserve better. I will never give up, and I will keep working for care workers so we can finally get the respect and dignity we deserve.”

My son, Manny, is the reason I get up every morning determined to fight for people with disabilities. At age 24, Manny lives with autism and is nonverbal. I’m his voice.

There are thousands of Mannys in California who count on someone to care for them so they can live with the rights we all want and deserve. The right to be in our own homes, rather than a nursing home, if we choose. The right to be cared for by our families and stay in our communities.

In California, the In-Home Supportive Services program anchors these rights for people with low incomes who have disabilities or who are elderly and need support with daily living. Once held up as a national model, the program is now in grave danger of failing the people who count on it most.

Underpaid and undervalued for years, caregivers are leaving the program to find jobs that will pay the bills. The result is a crisis-level shortage of care providers across the state. A full-blown catastrophe is on the horizon if California doesn’t strengthen the caregiving workforce before more Baby Boomers reach the point of needing care in their elder years.

A 2021 report from California’s state auditor found more than 40,000 elderly Californians and people with disabilities who needed IHSS care didn’t get it each month in 2019. Here in Stanislaus County, 679 people couldn’t access their care monthly. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and burnout forced more caregivers out of the workforce.

It breaks my heart that many people like Manny are losing out on the care they need to be safe, to deliver their medication, to help them dress or use the bathroom. In Stanislaus County, providing intimate care for a human being like my son pays less than $1 above the minimum wage, and in the vast majority of counties pay is less than $2 above the minimum.

As home care workers and family child care providers, there is one thing that unites us – we are domestic workers. We are the United Domestic Workers of America, after all, which means that we don’t just care about and fight for the wages of IHSS providers and family child care workers in California: we have a responsibility to help empower domestic workers everywhere.

That’s why UDW is proud to partner with the International Domestic Workers Federation, or IDWF. The IDWF is a membership-based global organization of domestic workers and a key advocate for domestic workers’ rights throughout the world. UDW Executive Director Doug Moore sits on the executive committee of the IDWF representing North America.

Last month, Doug flew to Tanzania for the 2023 IDWF African Pre-Congress. A Pre-Congress is a gathering of a particular IDWF region (in this case, Africa) in preparation for the global IDWF Congress happening this October in Belgium. The Pre-Congress was attended by domestic workers from South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Uganda, Togo, Guinea, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Burkina, Benin, Mali, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, Madagascar, Botswana, and Zanzibar. IDWF members at the Pre-Congress spoke many languages, including Swahili, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Arabic.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Doug, after spending the week speaking with and learning from the domestic workers in attendance. Doug’s job was to facilitate a workshop on writing resolutions and how to make constitutional amendments—something UDW members who attend our union’s convention are no strangers to!

The most impactful moments came, Doug said, when domestic workers from Tanzania and Namibia performed skits about how to handle common experiences faced by domestic workers in their home countries. One skit was about fighting against gender-based violence and sexual assault, and what happens when an employer refuses to pay you. The other skit, called “Walk With Me” covered how to recruit fellow domestic workers to your union at places like the grocery store and at bus stops.

It might seem like our experiences as home care providers and family child care workers in California are vastly different from those of our union siblings halfway around the world, but there are many common threads. In 2018, UDW members passed a law to help protect IHSS providers who experience sexual harassment on the job. And, when our union was founded, organizers and members had to find domestic workers the exact same way as domestic workers in Namibia today—at the Horton Plaza bus stop in downtown San Diego!

As the week came to a close, IDWF members from several countries thanked UDW for our leadership and help. As with all worker movements, we are stronger together—and we can’t wait to see them again!

Women in Politics and Child Care

The participation of women in politics is necessary to make public policies work for working mothers. Women within the childcare industry should be celebrated during Women’s History month for their strength and legislative power. Throughout time women have continued to make important strides in various industries that further the betterment of humanity. Child Care Providers United, represents 45,000 family child care providers 97% of whom are women, and the majority women of color. CCPU as an organization is a great way to celebrate the overall remarkability in Women’s History Month in the child care industry.

Women in the child care industry have carried a torch of resiliency, care, and love of early education. This has influenced the political landscape and reshaped the working family agenda. Many women across the US and California are embodying roles as caregivers, mother’s, history makers, educators, and lawmakers in the most profound ways.

On March 20, 2023, I interviewed Miren Algorri, a Family Licensed Child Care provider in San Diego County. Miren was delighted to share her experiences as a parent, expert in the child care industry, and the importance of supporting children’s needs. As a licensed child care provider, she believes in “helping families that may be underrepresented due to immigration status, ethnic background, and income status in California.” As a CCPU member, Algorri and other child care providers are bargaining at the state level to win higher wages, additional slots, and dignity for child care workers.

To Miren, Women’s History Month is a multifaceted way of “understanding trailblazers and changemakes in legislation including Ida B. Wells, Dolores Huerta, and Kamala Harris.” Miren went on to say, key themes of equity, and accessible child care services remain their priority. Her work at Child Care Providers United continues to solidify great strides for women of color and other Californian child care providers.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—In between the historic storms directly hitting this area of California, members of the Communist Party’s San Joaquin Valley Club drove long distances to attend a March 17 rally for Social Security at Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s local congressional office.

Their message of what to do with Social Security: “Preserve – Improve – Expand.” That was the slogan on a banner welcoming protesters to Yokuts Park in Bakersfield.

With fortuitous weather, demonstrators arrived by carpool and on chartered buses from up and down the state for the event, which was led by the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA). The alliance convened the Day of Action to save and expand Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security from Republican schemes to privatize and hamper the beloved social programs.

“Over 700 people from as far away as Eureka to the North and San Diego to the South and everywhere in between showed up,” she said. “Was Speaker McCarthy there? No. But he knew we were there, and he knew what our message is: Hands Off Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

“From the very start, McCarthy’s office called out the private security guards, Bakersfield Police, and even the Secret Service to try and stop our peaceful protest. We moved our program to the park after we all marched to McCarthy’s office and posted our handwritten messages to him on his office door. And we texted, called, tweeted, and emailed his office in Bakersfield and in Washington, D.C. We were heard,” Reed told those gathered.

Early on in the day, union members from United Domestic Workers/AFSCME, the Service Employees (SEIU), National Nurses United, and other workers arrived from across California. All received lunch in an open air tent, staffed by generous union volunteers.

Members of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and supporters from across the state gathered in Bakersfield to demand Speaker McCarthy leave Social Security and Medicare benefits alone.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Members of the California Alliance for Retired Americans, joined by supporters and advocates from around the state, hosted a protest at House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Bakersfield office on Friday to demand that the federal government leave their Medicare and Social Security benefits alone.

Many seniors and people with disabilities rely on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits for health care and financial and retirement security. The protesters took to the streets, chanting “Hands off Social Security,” and Bakersfield senior resident Mary Helen Barro says they’re there to fight for their quality of life.

We paid for Social Security and Medicare all those years we been working. It’s not a freebie, it’s our money, and they’re trying to take it away from us,” said Barro. “Come on man, nah.”

“A lot of people don’t know this. They think Social Security is just for old people. No, a lot of young people with disabilities rely on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to pay for their health care,” said Barro.

“If my client did not have Social Security, he wouldn’t be able to hire me as his IHSS provider, and I would be out of a job, and he wouldn’t have the care he needs to get by in the world,” said O’Connor.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Every weekday, Patricia Moran has up to a dozen children in her San Jose home day care center, mostly from low-income families — and sometimes the kids are as young as 2 weeks old because their parents can’t afford to take more time off from work.

In between helping the children make bubbles, serving them meals at a big table with small chairs and teaching them “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in English and Spanish, Moran said she is fielding phone calls from other parents — sometimes up to four per day — who are desperate to find care for their young children.

That’s why Moran was surprised when Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is just starting his second term in office, proposed to delay funding for 20,000 additional slots for subsidized child care for low-income families in order to help balance the state budget.

Even more perplexing was Newsom’s reasoning for the delay: The child care spots that were already funded were not yet being used.

“They need (these vouchers) right away,” Moran said. “The parents, they have to go to work.”

It’s true that there’s plenty of demand for subsidized child care, and it’s also true that much of the funding California has already allocated has not been used — a paradox that reflects the state’s roller coaster revenues and the strange funding decisions that arise.

For the past four years, the state has had so much money that it couldn’t spend it fast enough. With record-breaking surpluses aided by billions of dollars in federal pandemic aid, Newsom and state lawmakers paid for 146,000 new child care slots for low-income families. That’s so many new slots — more than double what had been previously available — that state officials couldn’t fill them fast enough.

State-funded child care workers must be licensed by the state, a process that requires background checks and inspections to ensure that day care centers — some of which are in homes — are safe and secure. It can take up to a year to go through the whole process.

Once the administrative hurdles are out of the way, enrolling families can take more time. Farooq Azhar, executive director of BJ Jordan Child Care Programs in Sacramento, said there are 4,700 families on his waiting list. When it’s time for enrollment, some families don’t respond, some don’t follow through and others just “take a long time to complete the required paperwork,” he said.

State Payment Rates Are Not Keeping Pace with Rising Costs of Caring for Children

California’s subsidized child care providers offer vital early learning and care options for families struggling to make ends meet. These early educators — who are primarily women and disproportionately women of color — deserve fair and just wages for essential work that helps children learn and grow while parents are working or going to school to support their families.

Despite providers’ critical role in nurturing children and assisting families, state leaders have failed to consistently and adequately increase provider payment rates in recent years. Without sufficient payments, child care providers are unable to offer early educators fair wages, struggle to keep pace with the rising statewide minimum wage, and can’t afford the increasing price of food and supplies. Ultimately, California providers and families suffer when affordable child care is limited in their communities because of policymakers’ lack of investment.

How Are Subsidized Child Care Providers Paid in California?

Subsidized child care providers are paid in one of two ways in California: 1) by accepting vouchers from families or 2) by contracting directly with the state. Providers who accept vouchers are reimbursed by the state based on the Regional Market Rate (RMR) Survey. The RMR survey — administered every two to three years — provides “rate ceilings” based on provider setting and the age of the child for all 58 California counties. The rate ceiling is the highest payment a provider can receive from the state for the care of a child. Providers who contract directly with the state are paid based on a Standard Reimbursement Rate (SRR). The SRR is adjusted to reflect the additional cost of serving certain children.¹ Moreover, beginning in 2022-23, state law requires an annual cost-of-living adjustment to the SRR, although the Legislature may suspend it for a given fiscal year.

Payment Rates for Voucher-Based Child Care Providers Are Not Keeping Pace Across 58 Counties

ate leaders have updated voucher-based payment rates for child care providers just twice since the 2016-17 state fiscal year. During this same period, the state law requiring annual increases to the statewide minimum wage went into effect, raising the wage by 55% from 2016-17 to 2022-23 and increasing costs for providers.²

The rate ceilings for child care providers across all 58 counties generally have not kept pace with the rising minimum wage even after the most recent increase to payment rates enacted in 2021-22. In the state’s most populous county — Los Angeles — payment rates for licensed centers caring for preschool-age children increased by less than half as much as the statewide minimum wage. Providers in some counties, such as Riverside County, saw miniscule rate increases of less than 5%. And in 27 counties, due to weaknesses in the rate-setting methodology, licensed centers have not received a single rate increase for care for preschool-age children since 2016-17.³

In 1989, Franklin Vermillion watched as a group of friends gathered around a booth at his local burger joint communicated with each other using American Sign Language (ASL). He had learned ASL in high school and had always wanted to learn more, so he decided to approach the group.

Through some rudimentary signs and written notes, Franklin quickly befriended James.

Franklin and James’ instant friendship led to quick family introductions. Upon meeting James’ mom, Ollie May, Franklin learned more about the family’s history. At the time, James and his mom lived in Watts and Ollie May cared for three grandchildren, plus James who has intellectual, physical, (profound deafness), and medical disabilities. Franklin saw the struggles that James’ family faced so he helped out whenever he could.

He became “Uncle Franklin” to the rest of James’ family. When he wasn’t working, Franklin would spend his free time with James and his family, going on adventures, enjoying time outside, and giving Ollie May much-needed breaks.

As the years passed, the friendship only grew stronger between Franklin, James, and Ollie May. When Ollie May’s health began to decline, Franklin was her shoulder to lean on. On her deathbed, she told Franklin that if he would care for her son, she could die happy knowing he would be okay.

Since then, Franklin has devoted the last 34 years of his life to caring for his best friend, with just over half of those as his official IHSS provider. Together, they’ve overcome insurmountable obstacles and diagnoses including HIV, Hepatitis C, and colon cancer.

“I can’t say that it’s been easy,” Franklin says of their time together, “but through IHSS, I’ve been able to give James a rich and full life, not in an institution where he may have been alone and ignored but at home.”

In addition to being an IHSS provider to James, he’s also maintained jobs in the hospitality industry and eventually started his own catering business. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and Franklin lost his business, it was devastating for both of them.

Now they must live off only the minimum wage that Franklin receives as an IHSS provider in Orange County. It’s not a living wage, especially in Orange County, and they’ve struggled to make it work.

Franklin and James’ story isn’t unique. Many caregivers sacrifice more than just a living wage to do this work: we often end up using our own resources to pay for our clients’ needs, and some of us even provide unpaid care to ensure our clients’ health and safety. That’s why we’re at the bargaining table fighting for better wages in Orange County.

Want to help fight for better wages for caregivers? Call your local office to see how you can get involved.

Stay updated on local IHSS news, events, and volunteer opportunities by texting ‘UDW’ to 237263.

A new bill proposed in the California legislature would allow in-home care workers to bargain with the state for better working conditions, instead of on a county-by-county basis.

Over 650,000 people who are elderly, disabled or sight impaired rely on home care aides to help them with daily tasks through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program, or IHSS. These tasks include bathing, dressing, eating, cleaning and cooking. About 550,000 work through IHSS and most are women of color, according to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute.

Assembly Bill 1672, authored by Assembly member Matt Haney, a Democrat representing San Francisco, aims to bolster that labor force and give it more collective bargaining power with the Department of Health Care Services. According to Haney, 30 counties in California don’t have a contract with their in-home service providers and the majority pay either the minimum wage of $15.50, or one or two dollars above it.

In 2021, an audit of the IHSS system found that it’s not meeting the needs of the number of people who require and desire home-care services. The state’s former auditor, Elaine Howell, found that in 2019, 40,000 people weren’t able to access the amount of care they needed.

The audit also found that the current system isn’t built to accommodate the growing population of seniors, which is forecasted to reach 8.5 million in 2030, up from six million in 2019.

“When we don’t provide for [home care workers], we have to pay more on the back end,” Haney said. “People who can’t receive care at home and are forced to be institutionalized as a result cost the state and counties a lot more.”

Rachel Gonzales, who cares for her nonverbal 11-year-old daughter Grace in northern Sacramento County neighborhood Mather, said advocating for herself and her daughter has become a second full time job. She added that trying to manage responsibilities while bargaining for an hourly wage increase is “mind-bogglingly difficult.”

Even though the event was unfortunately delayed, the 26th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity March and Black History Month celebration, organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Committee, was lively and full of spirited community members.

Hundreds of local residents gathered at the Amtrak Station in downtown Merced along with a wide variety of notable dignitaries, such as State Assemblywoman Esmerelda Soria, Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto, Merced NAACP Chapter President Allen Brooks, and more, to celebrate and support black history and the black community. Many of such community leaders took time to talk to and engage the public at the beginning of the event. The attendees then proceeded down Martin Luther King Jr. Way to the Merced Theatre, where food, music, shopping, as well as a lovely awards ceremony awaited them.

Joyce Dale, the parade coordinator, took the microphone and greeted the march participants. Merced City Councilwoman Bertha Perez was also there, and gave a short but fiery speech. “I want people to remember that we may not look like we are doing the right thing, but we are actually standing up for what’s right,” she said. “I am proudly a troublemaker.” Her counterpart, Councilman Jesse Ornelas then took the mic and spoke about the importance of activism and the best ways to go about it. Ornelas proceeded to speak about what he called “the prevalence and, unfortunate, protection of racism and racist groups in Merced,” and that all residents need to work together to fight racism.

The next speaker was Christian Santos, who was there as a representative of Congressman John Duarte. He thanked the community, with a special emphasis on organizers Tamara Cobb and Allen Brooks for their hard work on this event as well as their many other contributions to the community. Santos finished off with expressing his happiness seeing the work being done in our community and expressing his commitment to supporting it.

Following on microphone was NAACP President Allen Brooks. He gave a brief and heartwarming speech thanking the community for their attendance of the event and reflecting on the reasons that such events are so important. “We are paying homage to all of our ancestors that walked these streets,” he said passionately.

It’s 5 a.m. and the stars are still bright in the sky. I’ve already been awake for an hour, preparing to welcome the first family dropping their child off. Over the course of the day, I’ll read books, lead educational activities, watch over nap time and cook three hot meals before the last child gets picked up at 8 p.m.

This work isn’t for everyone but I love it. Working communities like mine cannot thrive without child care providers.

Many of us are Black and brown women who exist near poverty, despite the long hours we keep. But this cannot remain the norm. California’s leaders need to eliminate the enduring relics of slavery built into this work which intentionally leaves us behind.

I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a masters in public health but left a well-paying medical administration job because it wasn’t fulfilling. I turned back to my roots caring for neighborhood kids when I was growing up in Missouri, and I opened up a home-based child care.

I now welcome seven kids into my home every day – the youngest is 14 months old and the oldest is 12 years old. Some kids are the fourth in their family to spend their vital early learning years with me. And I love and cherish each of them and their families.

But love doesn’t pay my bills. And I barely get by on the $10,000 in annual take home pay (after expenses).

When my fence went down in one of the horrible storms we experienced last year, I knew I needed to get it fixed immediately for the safety of the children I serve. I also knew that would require tapping into my savings. At 61 years old, the savings I had intended for retirement have mostly gone into emergencies like this so I’m not sure when or if I’ll be able to retire.

Many are shocked to learn California’s child care providers take home so little and wonder how that can be legal. The ugly truth is majority Black workforces – like in-home care workers and child care providers – were intentionally excluded from federal labor protections after the Emancipation Proclamation and continued to be left out of the protections we’re most familiar with today, many provided through the New Deal.

Want to stay up-to-date on local happenings? Text UDW to 237263 to receive UDW text messages about your local events, actions, bargaining updates, and volunteer opportunities.

Dear Fellow UDW members,
Last year we worked together to advocate for legislation that protects and increases our rights as workers, secured the election and reelection of local and state leaders that support our work, and rejoiced at some of the first in-person membership meetings and celebrations we’d had in a very long time!
2022 also marked the beginning of IHSS bargaining efforts across the state, and our dedication and persistence paid off with higher wages and benefit increases in Santa Barbara, Imperial, and Tuolumne counties.
In 2023, we’ll be working harder than ever to secure wages and benefits increases as we return to the bargaining table in 13 counties with expired IHSS contracts, and we need your help!
We are counting on you to join your fellow UDW members at BOS meetings up and down the state to champion our stories and the impact of our work. It’s going to take all of us coming together to win the pay—and dignity—we deserve.

We are thrilled to be growing our union so that we can build better futures for care workers and our communities!
Find out what some of our newest union members are saying about UDW:

We are experiencing a powerful shift in this country. From the grape fields to Amazon warehouses and Starbucks coffee shops, workers from sectors that are often overlooked and undervalued are coming together to fight for our rights, reawakening and revitalizing the labor movement.

Likewise, IHSS providers and family child care providers are uniting to build an even stronger UDW—just this year, we welcomed thousands of new members into our union, and used our collective strength and power to win the Workers Tax Credit, affordable health care for child care workers, better wages and benefits in several IHSS counties, and term limits for BOS members in Kern County. Read more about UDW’s wins in 2022

For decades we have worked within our communities and our union to strengthen our rights on the job, fight for racial justice, ensure safer interactions with police, protect our environment, and so much more. We’ve built networks of support at home and worldwide—in fact, UDW has partnered with our union siblings across the globe to take a stand for not only workers’ rights, but for human rights, because we know that we are stronger together.

Since the pandemic, we have poured our hearts into making our work visible and reclaiming
the power of our labor—and though we’ve come a long way, we still have work to do. In 2023, we are fighting for better wages and benefits for caregivers, our second-ever contract for child care providers, and a new framework for long-term care throughout California.

We can’t wait to see where this momentum takes us, and we hope you’ll join us in these upcoming fights.

SAN DIEGO — San Diego County home care workers will get $1-per-hour raises for the next three years under a new agreement union leaders say will make it easier to attract and retain caregivers.

“Our hope is that it means that caregivers will be able to care for people and make a wage that will help them take care of themselves and their families,” said Doug Moore, executive director for United Domestic Workers Local 3930.

Union members rallied last week to encourage the Board of Supervisors to raise wages, and officials said they reached an agreement with county officials during labor negotiations Thursday.

The proposed changes must be ratified by union members and approved by the state and are expected to take effect in May.

Home care workers in San Diego earn $16 per hour now, said Matthew Maldonado, director of operations for the union. That will rise to $17 per hour in May and then to $18 per hour in January of next year and $19 the following year, he said.

County officials also agreed to provide $20,000 life insurance policies for caregivers. And they authorized $50,000 for personal protective equipment such as gloves and hand sanitizer, along with $40,000 to help with transportation expenses, he said.

There are 30,000 home care workers caring for 38,000 people in the program now, he said. Most are family members assisting a parent, child or other relative who is eligible for Medicare.

To comply with federal law, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will be implementing a change to the IHSS Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system beginning July 1, 2023. This change only impacts providers who do not live with their recipient(s).

What is Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)?

EVV is a federal law that requires an electronic record of the start time, end time, and location of IHSS services performed.

Who is impacted by the upcoming EVV changes?

Only providers who do not live with their recipient(s) will be impacted and required to adjust to the changes. Live-in IHSS providers are not required to use EVV.

What are the changes that will be implemented regarding EVV?

Beginning July 1, 2023, IHSS providers who do not live with their recipient(s) will be required to use one of three options—the mobile app, Electronic Services Portal (ESP), or telephone timesheet—to:

How and when will my location be tagged?

Your location will not be tracked whilst providing service, only at the moment of your start and end times. Your location will only be tagged when you select “Home.”

For example, if you are beginning care for a recipient at the grocery store, you’ll select “Community” when recording your start time and your location will NOT be tagged. If you then end care at your client’s home, you’ll select “Home” when you check out, and your location WILL be tagged.

While your location will not be tagged when serving in the community, it’s important to note that location tagging is connected to the device you utilize to check in/out, therefore the tagged location will always reflect the location of the device used.

Will I still have to manually enter my hours worked?

Whether you are using the mobile app, ESP, or the telephone timesheet option check in and out, your timesheet will automatically update for the days worked, and at the end of each period, you will verify that the tracked hours are correct and proceed with your usual submission process.

What will happen if I check in/check out at the wrong time or miss it completely?

If you do not capture your real-time check-in or check-out, you will have the option to manually enter the missed information on your electronic timesheet.

Will my recipient still need to approve my timesheet?

Yes. The updated EVV system will not change how your recipient approves your timesheet, how you perform your IHSS duties, or how services are authorized.

Can I opt out of EVV?

No. Providers cannot opt out, though live-in providers are not affected by this change at all.

What should I do now?

If you are not a live-in provider, continue to electronically enter and submit your timesheets as normal until the changes are automatically implemented on July 1, 2023, after which you will be presented with the option to check in/out when you log onto your timesheet or app.

Over the next few months, CDSS will send those who are impacted informational updates about the new IHSS EVV mobile app and changes being made to the Electronic Services Portal (ESP) and the Telephone Timesheet System (TTS), and how to use each option.

CDSS will also provide training materials and online webinar trainings for providers about to check in and out and easily fix any errors.

If you have questions about EVV please submit them to the IHSS EVV Mailbox at [email protected].

The last few years of self-growth while we adapted and learned to live with a virus that devastated our communities have reinforced our belief that where there is a will there is a way. And after so many months, this year we’ve finally seen what our new normal looks like.

This year, we have once again stormed into county buildings in-person demanding the pay and benefits we deserve. We’ve marched through the streets and gardens of our state capitol demanding accessible health care and retirement benefits for family child care providers, logged thousands of minutes making phone calls to ensure that the candidates who support and value our work were elected and knocked on twice as many doors to make sure our neighbors made their voices heard during this year’s elections. We’re back at face-to-face membership meetings throughout the state and we are stronger than ever!

And although we’re excited about the future, we want to take a moment to recap and relish the incredible moments we shared in 2022.

Top wins

After months of back-and-forth, Governor Newsom signed the Workers Tax Credit into law in September. This historic new benefit establishes the framework for a refundable tax credit for a portion of union dues, allowing workers in low-wage industries to receive the benefits of the tax credit.

While union dues are deductible as an itemized expense on state returns, many workers do not earn enough to itemize and therefore cannot deduct them. Meanwhile, higher-income professionals can write off a wide range of business-related expenses, including association fees. The Workers Tax Credit allows a wide range of workers to receive a tax credit even if they cannot itemize deductions or have no tax liability. It’s a huge win for all union workers and we are extremely proud to have led the effort!

Top moments

UDW members gathered in Montgomery, Alabama to walk an 11-mile leg of a 50-mile march in honor of the 57th anniversary of the Selma-to- Montgomery march, originally led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of non-violent demonstrators fighting for voting rights.

During the trip, UDW leaders also took on the task of visiting historic sites to learn about the roots of domestic labor, including its connections to slavery and a deeply flawed justice system, and how these connections lead to the deeply embedded misconceptions of our work and why it is undervalued, underpaid. Read more about our journey.

And we didn’t stop there…

Nationwide, 2022 has reawakened the power of unions and we are here for the movement—walking side-by-side, elbow-in-elbow with our fellow union siblings, from museum workers to student workers and everything in between, who are fighting for fair contracts. This year has given us more of the prowess and confidence we need to make our voices heard and our needs met, and we can’t wait to see where this momentum takes us in 2023.

Nominees for the negotiations team had to be dues-paying members in good standing who have paid dues for the last 12 consecutive months. Eligible members with the most nominations were selected for the negotiations team.

Audrey McBath grew up knowing she wanted to be an educator. As a kid, she saw her single mom make her way through college and become a teacher and an administrator, while also raising three successful adults. Audrey saw the hard work and strength it took for her mom to get to where she did, but she also saw the impact her mom made on the children whom she would cross paths with—and that inspired her to make her own impact.

Audrey began her journey as an educator more than 20 years ago as a preschool teacher in San Bernardino. She taught there for a few years and then moved to San Diego and began teaching Head Start. While on her journey, she realized that there must be a different and even better way of using her education and passion for helping children flourish. That was when the idea struck. If she could open her own family child care, she would be free to create her own curriculum and dedicate more focused attention to each of the children in her care.

For Audrey, the transition was almost seamless. Even as a new family child care provider, she quickly filled the licensed spots with the children from the Head Start program where she had previously worked and other children in the neighborhood. She was ecstatic to be able to create an environment where she could try different approaches to ensure the children in her care have the best possible preparation for kindergarten and beyond.

She loved it from the beginning because not only did she become her own boss, creating a successful and fulfilling business, but because it allowed her to get creative with her teaching methods, while also being a source of information and resources for her community.

Audrey knows first-hand that the work of a family child care provider doesn’t start and end within the walls of her home. It extends physical boundaries because every lesson is a stepping stone in the child’s life. From learning the numbers, colors, and letters, to learning how to treat others with respect and how to express big emotions in a healthy way—every day and every lesson is foundational for the children in her care.

Even when times were hard, like at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Audrey doubled down to be a pillar in her community and someone her parents could rely on. In the mix of it all, some parents were able to keep their children at home, while others needed Audrey’s services. She made sure to establish protocols that helped keep everyone safe, and she had her union to back her up!

Audrey had been an active member of Child Care Providers United (CCPU) since its unofficial roots over 17 years ago, meaning that when times were extra tough during the pandemic, she knew where she could turn to for help. She knew she could reach out to her local organizer and get the support she needed. From consistent PPE and diaper distributions to ensuring family child care providers received paid COVID closure days, stipends, and stabilization funds, an increase in pay for subsidized children and so much more, CCPU was a shoulder to lean on throughout the toughest of times.

Today things are much better for Audrey. She gets to enjoy her time with the children in her care and continues to support her families to the best of her ability. Whether her children are one or thirteen years old, she’s always paying attention to their individualized needs and gives them the tools they need to succeed today, tomorrow, and every day.

Rene and Bobby Joe Carrasco have been inseparable since they were kids. In a family of 15 siblings, their bond was always the strongest, even after all the siblings moved out and moved on with their lives. Rene started working and making a name for himself in surfing and skating competitions and as an actor, but he always stayed close to home and close to Bobby Joe and their mom, Delia.

Bobby Joe was born with an intellectual disability and has always required some extra care. Delia was his primary caregiver until her health began declining in 2004. Rene did not hesitate to step up as caregiver for both Delia and Bobby Joe.

Rene was still acting, but he put everything on hold to make sure that his mom and brother were well taken care of. He had no idea that a program IHSS existed, and for years he covered his family’s living expenses from his own savings.

It was not easy, but Delia had taught her children how to stretch their dollars and make every cent count. She passed away in 2013, leaving behind a legacy not only through her incredible family but through her community and her acts of service and love.

After she died it was just Rene and Bobby Joe. Rene continued to pull resources together to get through. He would sell items laying around the house that he had no use for, he even sold some of his cars. He looked for the best deals and shopped and cooked smartly to make sure groceries would last. Things were starting to get a bit dire, but he never gave up.

In 2021, over 15 years after he became a caregiver, he finally found IHSS. When he first applied to the program, social workers only gave him 8 hours a week to care for Bobby Joe—not even close to the real number of hours his brother needed.

Thankfully, Rene had jumped at the chance of joining UDW during the IHSS orientation and he called his local office to ask for help. He worked with his union representative to file an appeal and gather all the extra paperwork they needed to win. It took a few months of hard work tracking down all the information from various doctors, but it was worth it.

After nearly two decades of unpaid work and months of underpayment, the appeals process was a success! Rene won protective supervision of Bobby Joe and an increase in monthly hours. He went from 32 hours a month to 226—a vast difference when it comes to ensuring the best care possible for Bobby Joe and a more stable income for Rene.

“It’s my joy to know Bobby Joe is being well taken care of,” Rene said. “I’ve won a lot of karate and skateboard competitions and had the pleasure of being a paid actor but knowing that I can take care of my best friend, that he’s safe and happy, and that I can be paid for it means so much to me.”

Rene was also awarded retroactive pay for the months he had been underpaid, which helped him purchase a new water heater and a new fridge and pay off some of his debt, and it’s given the brothers some peace of mind.

To show their gratitude, Rene and Bobby Joe make their way to the Orange County UDW office once a month to give back as volunteers.

If you need help advocating for more accurate care hours for your client, visit our FAQ page or contact your local office for support.

She was 22, had just given birth to her first child, and though she had a background in political science and experience teaching, she did not make enough money to afford the soaring costs of child care. How could she continue her career and reach her goals while balancing the needs of her family? How could she possibly afford to send her child to daycare while she worked?

For a few years, Hami balanced being a stay-at-home parent while taking her kids to part-time child care so they would meet and interact with other kids, but she knew there had to be another way.

Fifteen years later, she has three children and a thriving family child care business. The business not only allows her to provide her own children and the children in her care with quality education, love, and a safe place to develop foundational skills—it also means she can support her community and her family while advancing her career and reaching her goals.

Over the years, she has researched extensively to find resources that help her best prepare the kids in her care for a bright and successful future. She is a state-rated provider and is active in various programs that help track her kids’ benchmarks. For Hami, it’s not just about the best care possible but setting the foundation for her children’s bright futures.

“My favorite part about being a child care provider is that I am helping shape who they are and making them strong and self-sufficient,” says Hami.

Hami loves seeing her kids make progress every day, from something as simple as correctly placing the nose on the Potato Head to learning how to tie their shoes, write their names, and identify their colors, shapes, and letters. Long-term these are the tools and skills that will help the children in kindergarten and beyond.

Every day is an opportunity to help the kids grow—and growing also means playing, running, climbing, and sometimes breaking things or overusing them—all of which impact the wear and tear of any child care. That’s why Hami was ecstatic when she heard about Child Care Providers United’s (CCPU-UDW) win for supplemental pay earlier this year.

She was looking forward to receiving some extra funds to replace some of the supplies in her child care, so she attended CCPU-UDW trainings to learn about the qualifications and paperwork needed and applied immediately. Regardless of the resources and knowledge of her rights as a child care provider, she was instantly met with obstacles.

Hami turned in all the required paperwork three times and kept being rejected. She tried calling time after time to get things sorted and even turned in additional proof of the care hours she had provided, but all to no avail. It wasn’t until she reached out to CCPU-UDW that she saw progress!

Only two days after reaching out to our union, she received a notification saying she officially qualified to receive the small license supplemental pay—a total of $8,000!

These funds will allow Hami to replace supplies that are key to the kids’ success. It means more books, educational toys, and simply more resources to help the kids thrive. In addition to the supplemental pay, Hami is also awaiting Child Care and Development Infrastructure Grant Program funds—another resource CCPU-UDW helped members access—that will allow her to expand the paved area in her backyard and add shade so that the children can ride their bikes and play freely.

Hami is looking forward to continuing to grow and learn herself. She is hoping to return to school to pursue a bachelor’s in child development and expand on the knowledge she’s gathered after so many years in the field.

“I keep learning because if you want to teach children, you have to educate yourself and keep learning. As I’m teaching them, they are teaching me,” Hami says.

Supplemental Pay is one of many victories CCPU-UDW has secured over the recent years—but it’s all because of the power behind each one of our fierce members. Members like Hami who act when called to make our victories possible! We have much more to win to improve our rights, protections, and benefits as child care providers, and we challenge you to TAKE ACTION!

Salvador Lopez Segura of Kern County is an IHSS provider for his sons, David and Cesar, who live with rheumatoid arthritis, while also caring for his wife, who is on dialysis. Initially, Salvador retired from his job to support his wife through her treatments, while his eldest son, Cesar, was David’s IHSS provider. But last year, everything changed after Cesar suffered a sudden fall that left him unable to walk.

Salvador stepped up to care for both of his sons while continuing to drive his wife to and from dialysis three times a week. It wasn’t easy, but he pushed through and hoped that Cesar’s symptoms would improve. It took months before the doctors officially diagnosed Cesar with the same illness as David.

Through months of uncertainty, Salvador was paid only for the hours he cared for his youngest son, and with the stress of being the only source of income and primary caregiver to his entire family mounting, Salvador needed help. So he reached out to UDW and successfully submitted an appeal to ask for more hours of care for David. That appeals process earned Salvador an additional 75 paid hours per month and retroactive pay of over $1,000 for the previous months.

It was a huge relief, but there was still work to do: Salvador tried to apply for IHSS hours for his oldest son Cesar but was denied due to an error in the paperwork from his son’s doctors. That’s when UDW stepped in, again. Salvador was more confident this time around because he knew his union had his back, and in May he received incredible news: all those long hours of making phone calls and tracking down the right paperwork resulted in 136 hours per month for Cesar’s care and over $15,000 in back pay!

“It’s been such a big help,” Salvador said. “I can breathe a little bit better.” He and his family were able to pay off a large portion of the debts that had accumulated while he cared for Cesar unpaid, and life is a bit calmer now.

Salvador’s sister-in-law comes in to help his wife with some light cleaning and other home tasks. His wife has transportation to and from her dialysis treatments through her local resources—giving Salvador some breathing room. The family also has some help from qualified nurses who help tend to his sons’ more serious medical needs. It’s been a journey with many obstacles and curve balls, but the Lopez Segura family now has a semblance of normalcy.

This July, 45 UDW delegates joined more than 2,000 union siblings for the first time since 2018 at the AFSCME 45^th International Convention in Philadelphia.

Every two years, we join thousands of AFSCME delegates from across the nation to discuss issues of vital importance to our communities, our workplaces, and our union. Through open discussion of the issues that matter to public service workers and working families, delegates set our union’s priorities for the future, renew shared commitments, and strategize to make us stronger.

UDW is the third largest union within AFSCME, our national union which represents over a million workers ranging from nurses and behavioral health employees to sanitation workers, librarians, home care workers, child care providers, and more. UDW is the largest union affiliate in the west, with a majority of our members being women and people of color, making us and our voices even more imperative as we represent such a diverse workforce.

“Today, we have the power to build safer, more beautifully diverse communities,” IHSS provider David Haskins of San Diego reminded AFSCME members when he took to the podium.

We made history at this year’s convention by officially welcoming our family child care providers members of CCPU-UDW to our international family in-person. We recognized our tremendous fight of over 20 years to unionize and create a statewide family child care union in California, and CCPU-UDW member Charlotte Neal of Sacramento proudly represented our 40,000 family child care members on stage.

We also raised our voices to support eleven of the 41 resolutions presented during the convention. Some of the resolutions UDW delegates supported included reaffirming the value of child care providers; growing and connecting union child care; increasing access to strategic workforce development; fighting to win Unemployment, Medicare, and Social Security for parent and spouse IHSS providers, and more.

District 7 Chair Isabel Serrano asked AFSCME members to support a resolution calling for the expansion of access to home and community-based services in our community.

“Longstanding racism and sexism against [domestic workers] have resulted in structural inequality, leaving many of us living at or below the poverty line,” Isabel said. “Yet, we save lives and make our communities healthier and stronger—our wages should reflect the value and importance of our work.”

Our members not only took their stand for improved social services, benefits, and pay, but also for the rights of our oppressed siblings. UDW delegates proudly stood in support of reproductive rights for all those who can bear children, as well as for the rights of our fellow trans and non-binary siblings who are also facing injustices that attempt to invalidate and suppress their identities, rights, and dreams.

“This is not the first time our systems have failed us—when I say us, I particularly mean women, trans and non-binary people, and people of color—because these are the people who are at risk of losing our lives if we don’t stand up and fight back for our reproductive rights!” Assistant Executive Director, Johanna Hester, told the crowd. “As a union we must protect workers’ rights to health care – and that means access to ALL reproductive health care services.”

We also participated in workshops and panels, and connected with AFSCME members from all over the country. We exchanged pins and stories about how we successfully organized to win better wages and benefits in our workplaces and inspired each other to continue to take action in our communities. At the end of the week, we joined our AFSCME family on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to demand a better contract with fairer wages, benefits and resources for museum workers. The sea of green t-shirts could be seen from blocks away and our voices made news across the city.

Orange County IHSS provider Hai Nguyen said it best. “I love the concept of #AllTogether, because sometimes in life we feel alone and seeing so many people from different backgrounds and jobs come together to be there for each other is beautiful.”

The days were long and jampacked, but we were so happy to come together to proudly represent the interests of home care and family child care providers.

Rosa Beltran, District 3 Vice Chair, was most excited about bringing home the knowledge she gained from convention back to her fellow providers in Riverside County:

“It’s been a long time and we needed this to feel the love within our union,” she said. “I’ve learned so much and I’m taking it all back with me to share with my district and educate our younger generation on the importance of unions so that we can grow AFSCME and empower our communities.”

Kern County Board of Supervisors will not include competing term limits ballot initiatives on the November ballot

Bakersfield, CA – Dozens of Kern County residents including caregivers, county workers, and City of Bakersfield workers attended Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting to decry plans to place alternative, competing term limits ballot measures on the November ballot. Public comment–and the general popularity of term limits across the political spectrum–moved the Kern County Board of Supervisors to take no action on the alternative ballot initiatives they were considering.

In March, We Are Kern County coalition members delivered nearly 22,000 signatures on a ballot measure to enact term limits on County Supervisors. The initiative qualified for the November ballot in June. If it passes, supervisors will be limited to two terms of four years each.

In a move that members of the coalition called anti-democratic, the Board of Supervisors requested that county counsel provide them a list of alternative actions for placing competing measures on the ballot, including a version of the ballot measure that would allow supervisors to run for their positions again after a hiatus.

“It’s clear to the voters I’ve talked to that the County Board of Supervisors offering competing ballot measures would only confuse the public,” said term limits proponent Sandy Moreno. “We already know that term limits are incredibly popular, and over 20,000 voters agree that Kern needs this change.”

As a result of Tuesday’s meeting, only the people’s term limits ballot initiative will be up for a vote in November.

We Are Kern County is a coalition of community organizations, activists, and leaders who are deeply concerned with the future of our county.

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union representing 155,000 home care and family child care workers throughout California, announced today that the budget agreement reached by the governor and legislature includes a major new benefit for working Californians that was achieved through the work of a broad coalition of unions. The Workers Tax Fairness Credit would establish a refundable tax credit for a portion of union dues, allowing workers in low-wage industries who do not itemize or owe taxes to receive the benefits of the tax credit. The credit will be established in statute through a trailer bill in August and activated in a future budget.

“Tax deductions have generally favored higher income professionals like doctors and lawyers, whose association fees are recognized as a cost of doing business and therefore easily written-off on their taxes. It unfairly privileges high earners over working-class Californians,” said Doug Moore, UDW Executive Director. “UDW fought for the Workers Tax Fairness Credit to level the playing field, because union members deserve these benefits, too.”

UDW and other worker advocates have long sought to bring equity to working-class Californians, and the past few years have made the need for policy like the Workers Tax Fairness Credit even more urgent. Many California union members served as the frontline, essential workers who kept our state running during the pandemic. From home care workers caring for California’s seniors and people with disabilities to custodians keeping schools clean, to transit workers keeping buses and trains moving to get other workers to work, this pandemic has demanded tremendous sacrifice by working people.

“For workers like me, a tax credit for our union dues could mean hundreds of dollars back in our pockets at tax time,” said UDW president and home care provider, Editha Adams. “Thank you to our elected leaders for championing this initiative. This tax credit will make a huge difference for us, especially with gas prices and the cost of living in California increasing so drastically.”

Unions provide significant public benefits, including expanded access to healthcare and retirement, a narrowing of race and gender wage disparities and racial wealth gaps, and a path out of poverty through job security. Yet workers who belong to unions are unable to enjoy the tax benefits available to the wealthy and well-connected. The Trump Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 suspended the tax deduction for union dues at the federal level, though employers can still deduct management and legal expenses, and professionals can deduct association dues such as those for the State Bar. While union dues are deductible as an itemized expense on state returns, many workers, including thousands of UDW members, do not earn enough to itemize and therefore cannot deduct them.

The Workers Tax Fairness credit will complement recent tax policies enacted to benefit low-wage workers and families, including the EITC, the child tax credit and the Golden State stimulus and encourage more workers to file taxes.

“Unionized workers play a critical role in the economic and social health of our state,” added Moore. “This victory is a testament not only to the value of these workers, but to what unions can accomplish when we come together to fight for what working Californians deserve.”

Beginning July 1, IHSS providers will be required to use direct deposit or a pay card to automatically receive their paychecks. Not only will this mean you’ll receive your paycheck faster because you will no longer have to wait for your paper warrant to be delivered through the post office, you’ll also never have to worry about it getting lost or stolen or having to run to the bank every pay day.

If you have not already signed up for direct deposit, you can electronically enroll through the direct deposit enrollment service in three easy steps!

The online direct deposit service also allows you to electronically change or dis-enroll via the CDSS IHSS ESP website, instead of using a paper form.

Direct deposit does not change the way you submit your timesheet, so even after you enroll, you should continue to submit those as usual. After successfully submitting your enrollment request, it takes approximately 30 days to start receiving direct deposit.

Providers who are not enrolled in direct deposit will continue to receive paper warrants, but beginning in October, they will also receive an email, text, or phone call notification about the need to enroll in direct deposit every time a warrant is issued. New providers will have a 90-day grace period to enroll in direct deposit before they begin to receive the notices.

If you have questions about direct deposit, creating or accessing your ESP account or entering your direct deposit information online, call the IHSS Service Desk, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1-866-376-7066 or the UDW Membership Resource Center at 1-800-621-5016, Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Need to setup a bank account? Consider using UDW’s new credit union at www.providencecu.org/udw.

UDW members in Kern County are celebrating our latest victory in the quest to enact term limits on a Board of Supervisors (BOS) who has done nothing to help IHSS providers or our clients in Kern County.

After years of failed negotiations with the county, UDW members joined the We Are Kern coalition, a diverse and grassroots movement to remove entrenched and failing leadership at the BOS, earlier this year.

On June 7, the county announced that the coalition had gathered 21,951 valid signatures, more than the 20,338 required to place a proposition to enact term limits on the BOS on the November ballot. The term limits petition calls for terms of public service to be limited to two terms, or eight years. Currently, the supervisors can run for an unlimited number of terms.

“We knew people in Kern County were dissatisfied with our do-nothing leaders,” said Sandy Moreno, an IHSS provider and one of the three named proponents on the term limit petition, “but we have been blown away by the overwhelming response to help elect leaders who are ready to work for a future where everyone shares in Kern’s prosperity.”

Sandy became active in the term limits campaign after witnessing first-hand how the Kern BOS would rather pay state penalties than invest in good-paying care jobs. After over five years of stalled negotiations, Kern IHSS providers like Sandy watched in horror as the county chose to accept a penalty of nearly $800,000 rather than budge on a modest wage increase for home care workers.

“Term limits will bring in new local leadership with fresh, bold ideas on how to improve administration of county services, programs, and resources and quality of life in Kern County,” said Sandy. “We are ready to remove these leaders and work toward a Kern County where every family and every community has what they need to stay healthy, safe, and strong.”

And don’t forget to vote for UDW-endorsed BOS candidate Louis Gill, who has pledged to support IHSS providers, our clients, and our communities throughout Kern County.

The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930) issued the following statement supporting the joint legislative budget agreement:

The over 155,000 home care and child care workers represented by UDW applaud Senate pro Tempore Atkins, Speaker Rendon, Assemblymember Ting, Senator Skinner, and their respective caucuses for the joint legislative budget agreement that makes historic investments in underserved communities around the state and prioritizes essential frontline workers – including our home care and child care providers – and their families.

We especially support the Better for Families Rebates plan, the CalEITC increase and the new Worker Tax Fairness Credit. These policies, when taken together, put money directly into the pockets of the Californians who are most impacted by the rising cost of living and help narrow race and gender income disparities. These investments will go toward improving quality of life in some of the most impoverished communities and help generate economic stability.

This proposed budget also brings us one step closer to strengthening our foundation for climate resiliency for IHSS, an important objective in the Master Plan on Aging, by paying IHSS providers who are going above and beyond their call of duty to ensure the health and safety of older adults and individuals with disabilities during natural disasters. It is essential as we address the rapidly growing need for older adult care in the state to recruit and retain a strong workforce, and one of the best ways to do this is not only to increase wages and benefits, but to also ensure workers are best prepared for the future of the program starting with new employee orientations. We also support facilitating participation in the States’ CalSavers retirement program for our workers.

Additionally, we commend the Legislature’s ongoing commitment to investing in child care. This budget agreement allocates funding to stabilize the child care workforce through access to quality, affordable health care and retirement savings, waiving family fees, extending the hold harmless policies, and providing a meaningful increase to reimbursement rates. This will help stabilize providers and ensure access to reliable child care services as the state continues to recover from the pandemic and return to work.

Overall, this budget agreement reflects our progressive values in the state as we look towards building the future of the fifth largest economy in the world to ensure our citizens, especially the most underserved, are a priority in how we structure funding for critical programs. We urge the Governor, who has always shown his leadership and support on child care and IHSS workers, to make these critical investments to provide much-needed support and economic recovery.

We are excited to announce the official launch of UDW’s very own credit union on May 16 in partnership with Providence Federal Credit Union (PFCU)! Union leaders have been working with PFCU for months to create products and services designed specifically to meet our needs as caregivers and family child care providers. William Reed, UDW Secretary-Treasurer, is ready to share how this benefit can empower fellow providers.

PFCU members can count on everyday benefits like online, mobile, and phone banking services; access to 90,000 surcharge-free ATMs; free checking and savings accounts; low-interest loans specifically designed with UDW members in mind; and free financial wellness classes and counseling to help you achieve a secure financial future. PFCU also offers a second chance checking account for those of us who have struggled with our credit in the past. Our friends at PFCU are flexible and open to adjusting to our needs, especially as IHSS providers have a state-mandated deadline to register for direct deposit by July 1.

Unlike for-profit banks, our credit union is designed to put us first. Before the benefit opens to all members on May 16, William and other union leaders signed up early to test the services and customer service. He reported that working with PFCU has been a great experience.

“They’ve been very welcoming, available, and accommodating,” said William. “PFCU has made me feel like they are my bank. In a world where we are pulling away from person-to-person contact, PFCU is still focusing on creating personal connections with our members.”

Desmond Prescott, District 3 Chair, also joined the credit union and has seen the difference that having a not-for-profit organization help you manage your funds can make—not only in your wallet but in your peace of mind.

“PFCU recognizes care workers and the valuable work we do, and creates products specifically with us in mind,” he said. “They value our work and care to protect the money we work so hard for.”

Desmond was amazed by the speedy response he’s had throughout his enrollment process and the variety of services PFCU offers our members, from low-interest loans catering to caregivers, to a financial wellness program personalized to your specific financial goals, and access to low-interest credit. There was one benefit that made the biggest impact on Desmond, so far.

“My favorite PFCU service was the low-interest balance transfer!” He said. “I was able to transfer my balance from a 25% interest credit card to PFCU at only 4% interest. I did the calculations, and this one benefit is saving me thousands of dollars.”

UDW members work hard, and we deserve a members-first financial institution that will work for us and give us the exceptional service, easy access, and quality products that we deserve!

Thank you to the hundreds of UDW members who participated in our renaming contest and congratulations to our winner: Tu Le of Orange County! We are so excited to begin this new chapter with a more inclusive name that better represents all UDW members.

Please continue to wear masks until further notice. Need PPE? Call ahead to see what’s available (find your local office number at www.udwa.org/contact).

Learn about important resources for you and your family
Across the country, we are seeing higher costs for food, gas, electricity, housing, and all other essentials. For those of us making close to minimum wage, rising costs are digging even deeper holes into our pockets—but your union is here for you! Check out the programs and resources below to see how you can get help during these challenging times.

UDW’S Credit Union
Rebuild your credit, enjoy low rates, get free financial counseling, and more.

CalSavers
Financially prepare for retirement by accessing a professionally managed retirement savings program for Californians who have no employer- based retirement plan. Family child care providers who are self-employed and most IHSS providers can opt-in to the program.
saver.calsavers.com • 1-855-650-6918

AFSCME Free College
Earn a certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degree online at no cost to you through the AFSCME Free College Benefit. Visit freecollege.afscme.org to learn more.

Enjoy other cost-saving benefits like a prescription and health care discount card, low-cost dental, medical bill negotiating service, and more at udwa.org/member-benefits.

CalAble

Save for disability-related expenses by contributing up to $16,000 a year to a CalABLE account without jeopardizing benefits like SSI and Medicaid. CalABLE accounts may be opened by or on behalf of an eligible individual.

In all cases, the blindness or disability must have occurred before age 26.
www.calable.ca.gov • 833-225-2253 •[email protected]
IHSS CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM
You can expand your skills and earn extra cash, thanks to a new initiative that will give IHSS providers training to enhance skills and career opportunities. Participants will get paid for the time in training and may qualify for additional, one-time incentive payments for completing training in particular areas.

California’s Food Stamp Program Provides up to $250*/month per household member

*Benefit amounts have increased due to the pandemic. Eligibility is based on income. Those with SSI/SSP may also be eligible.

I am so excited to announce the official launch of UDW’s very own credit union on May 16!
We are partnering with Providence Federal Credit Union (PFCU) to create products and services designed specifically to meet our needs as caregivers and family child care providers. Unlike for-profit banks, our credit union is designed to put us first. PFCU members can expect day-to-day benefits like 90,000 surcharge-free ATMs, free checking and savings accounts, second-chance checking accounts for those of us who have struggled with our credit in the past, low-interest loans specifically designed with UDW members in mind, and free financial wellness classes and counseling to help you achieve a secure financial future.

UDW members work hard. We deserve a members-first financial institution that will work for us.
To become a member or learn more visit www.providencecu.org/PFCU-UDW or call 1-888-849-5189.

In solidarity,
Editha Adams
UDW Statewide President

After months of work, thousands of phone calls to the state demanding they expedite the payment process, and a union vote ratifying the disbursement proposal, family child care providers are finally set to receive supplemental pay!

“I’m so excited for supplemental pay because the $10,000 will allow me to make improvements to my backyard, build my outdoor classroom, and help me continue providing the best care for the children I serve.”

These funds are part of the $144.5 million CCPU-UDW won in negotiations last year. This year, eligible family child care providers with large licenses will receive $10,000; small licenses will receive $8,000; and family, friend and neighbor providers, also known as license-exempt, will receive $1,500. Next year, payments will be disbursed monthly in amounts that will be determined in July 2022.

To be eligible for these funds this fiscal year, licensed child care providers must have had at least one subsidized child in their care for three months between May and October 2021. License-exempt providers must have had at least one subsidized child in their care between August and October 2021.

The state began disbursing the funds in April 2022 and should complete payouts within the next few months. If you believe you qualify to receive supplemental funds but have not received any notification, please contact CCPU- UDW at 888-226-7510 to find out next steps.

As a union of 145,000 home care and family child care providers, the majority of whom are women and people of color, we believe that any attempt to take away rights or deny access to health care is unacceptable.

With the announcement that the Supreme Court plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, women, trans people, and non-binary people are under attack. Haven’t women, especially women of color, taken on enough burdens for this country? We will not be silent while our fundamental right to control our own bodies is at stake.

With this ruling, SCOTUS could be paving the way to overturn other long-protected individual freedoms. What’s next? Our voting rights? Marriage equality? We know one thing for sure: now is the time to hold our elected leaders accountable to their promises to protect our rights. Voting is just the first step, and we must make our voices heard every step of the way.

At UDW we believe that health care and privacy are human rights. We will fight any attempt to diminish or deny these rights.

It’s not news that our work as care providers and family child care providers is just as stressful as it is rewarding. We find ourselves often confronting difficult choices and lacking much time for ourselves and our self-care.

We hear it all the time— “You can’t pour from an empty cup. You need to do all these things to take care of yourself.” We hear these things so often that many times we shrug them off, because how can we take care of ourselves when so much responsibility rests on our shoulders?

Caring for others is in our nature and as hard as it may be, we need to learn to prioritize and care for ourselves, as well. Stress can lead to burnout and increased risk of conditions like heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease, so prioritizing our needs and our health is one way we can prolong our well-being and continue providing quality care. Our time and responsibilities as care providers may limit our self-care options. For us, self-care may not mean spending hours at the gym or in a resort but creating even small pockets of time that allow for us to unwind and destress. Everyone’s schedule and availability are different, and sometimes all we have is five minutes to ourselves. Here are five ways to help you cope with stress in five minutes or less:

Move your body!
This can mean a quick walk around the block, a dance-off in your living room, or a quick stretch. Set a timer and get moving!
Go outside
Sit, stand, walk, or run, spend your time in nature in whichever way you choose. Getting a few breaths of fresh air, standing in the sun for a few minutes, and changing the scenery can have a profound effect on your stress levels and drastically improve your mood.
Mediate
Mediation is not limited to sitting in silence. Many people practice various techniques that help them control their breathing and become more mindful of their body and it’s needs. Here are four ways you can dive into meditation:
- Box Breathing
  Find a quiet place. Close your eyes. Start to slow down your breath. Picture a box and think of each side as a motion of your breath. Follow the following:
  
  Inhale on a slow count of 4
  Hold your breath at the top for 4
  Exhale through the nose for 4
  Hold empty at the bottom for 4
- Journal
  Set a five-minute timer at the beginning of your day or right before bed and write whatever comes to mind! Whether it’s about your day, how you feel, or your dreams, journaling can help reduce stress, boost your mood, evoke mindfulness, and help you strengthen emotional health.
- Listen to a soothing song
  Choose a soothing song, close your eyes, tune into the melody. Pay close attention to the instruments, words, harmonies, and lose yourself in the song. Take this time to relax your muscles, from your jaw to your ankles. Music is a great way to help quiet your mind and release pent-up tension in your body.
- 5-4-3-2-1 method
  Use this method to help you practice mindfulness. Slow your breathing and identify the following for each of your senses:
  - 5 things you see
  - 4 things you can touch around you
  - 3 things you can hear
  - 2 things you can smell
  - 1 thing you can taste
Hang out with a furry friend
Take a quick break and snuggle up next to your best fur-iend (furry friend). Pets, especially dogs and cats, can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Don’t have a pet of your own? That’s okay! Take a few minutes to sit outside and look for your neighborhood birds. Listen to them sing and flutter through the trees.
Get a good laugh
Take a quick break and look up a few cute or funny videos online. It can be a quick compilation of America’s Funniest Home Videos, or cats playing the keys—whatever lights up your day and brings a smile to your face. Laughter, even smiling, has been proven to help reduce stress.

Karen Clark started babysitting at just eight years old in her hometown of Lompoc. Those early experiences sparked a love of caring for children that set Karen on a path across the globe to guide generations of children into adulthood with her special blend of love, creativity, and immersion in the natural world.

As a teenager, Karen continued her babysitting work while also working at a local horse farm. But as busy as she was in high school, she also found time to fall in love—Karen and her husband Bobby were high school sweethearts who married right after high school. The young couple left California when Bobby enlisted in the Air Force.

To keep connected to the profession she loved, Karen had to overcome logistical challenges. Because there were no child care facilities near where they were stationed in Germany, she drove across the border to work at a child care in Holland for over a year. One day, a neighbor gave her the idea to open a child care in her home for the families living on the base. She’d never had her own business before, much less in another country, but over her three years working from the base, she launched a successful business model that fit the needs of children and their families—as well as Karen’s need to pursue work she loved.

After four years abroad, they moved back to the United States. They lived for a few years in Mississippi and eventually found their way back to California, adopting four children along the way. Like many family child care providers, Karen learned that opening up her home to other children was the best way to work while also caring for her own kids.

Now settled on a large plot of land in their hometown of Lompoc, Karen—with help and support from Bobby—has been able to take her creative approach to teaching children to a whole new level. The kids have seen caterpillars turn into butterflies, raised chicks, guinea pigs, and rabbits, planted and harvested fruits and veggies, and even helped tend to Karen’s horses. Every day is a new adventure, and Karen enjoys every moment.

Twenty years after returning to Lompoc, Karen continues to serve the families in her community, cherishing every child she’s entrusted with as an extension of her own family. She takes great pride in creating lesson plans that fit each age group, making accommodations for any child that may need alternative forms of learning, and dedicating extra time to those who need it. They spend their days together, learning and growing.

It’s a well-known fact that having a union can help you earn better pay and benefits. But getting active in your union can help you in other ways, too. Through our union, members learn how to make important changes in our communities—and how to use that training to help ourselves in other areas of our lives.

Being so active in the union has helped me stay strong and stay focused. At times things get too hard to go on, but then you have your sisters and brothers that are the for you and they become a shoulder to cry on. They listen and offer guidance. They take matters into their own hands and give you the tools to keep on going. If we’re together, we are invincible.

The racial and civil rights councils have helped me to speak with a little bit more conviction and brought about a lot of clarity as to why the condition of homeware providers is what it is today…Once you start to see the systematic oppression and systematic ways in which providers were cut out of the legislation process, it gives you a larger understanding and ideas to what you can do daily to create change.

“Being active within the union has made me stronger and has educated me very well in how to best approach local political leaders to better advocate for myself and for my community. It’s also helped me get involved with other groups in the community that are in similar situations and fighting for rights to protect the health of our clients.”

“Being an active part of the union has given me the forum to speak to others about the difficulties I faced as a provider, as well as a parent of a disabled son. It has also helped me reach out to a wider audience as a leader, connected me to other organizations and has broadened my knowledge not only about the IHSS program, but in about how laws are passed and how organizations interact to create change. Ultimately, it’s helped me see how I can make a significant difference through my actions.”

There are several ways you can get involved, whether it’s through our many councils, volunteering at events, becoming a graduate of our Leadership Academy, or by sharing your story with others. So, what are you waiting for?! We are taking on big challenges in 2022 and there are many opportunities for you to learn, lead and grow. Visit www.udwa.org/get-involved and sign up to learn more.

After months of bargaining with the state to improve provider access to quality, affordable health care benefits, child care providers are increasingly frustrated that the state has failed to make any progress to address providers’ access to affordable health care.

So, on December 7, members of CCPU-UDW joined family child care providers from across the state in a candlelight vigil for our fellow providers who lost their lives due to inadequate health coverage, demanding that the state take immediate action to protect these essential workers.

In a recent survey, 20% of CCPU members reported that they don’t have health insurance of any kind and 50% said they had to skip appointments or treatments because their healthcare premiums were too high. The survey also exposed the dire consequences for child care providers with no health coverage: One provider broke a bone while caring for young people, and couldn’t afford the cost of a cast; as a result, her bone healed improperly. Another provider reported having to pick up a second job on the weekend just to afford a pair of eyeglasses. Many providers report putting off lifesaving preventative care such as mammograms and pap tests because of the cost.

“California is sitting on a $31 billion surplus, yet they are telling us they can’t afford to take action on our health care,” said Charlotte Neal, a family child care provider in Sacramento. “But with what we are hearing from providers, they should be asking: How can we afford NOT to do something?”

Over the last year, UDW members came closer together, built a better and stronger union, and raised our voices to make historic advances for all IHSS and family child care providers. Regardless of the hurdles we met throughout 2021, UDW members continued to amaze me with your leadership and passion!

Our work, including the restoration of hours to IHSS providers and a historic contract ratification with the state of California for family child care providers, has encouraged legislators to recognize just how valuable our work is to the community—not just with words, but through actions.

UDW fought hard for the recognition of our members, and last September, when the current administration increased funding for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), we made sure that it included provisions to give IHSS providers what we’re calling Heroes Pay: a one-time payment of $500 to any IHSS provider who worked a minimum of two months between March 2020 and March 2021, to be distributed in early 2022. The state already began disbursing the funds, which they are calling “Care Economy Payments,” as of Jan. 3, 2022, and should complete payouts by Jan. 28, 2022.

IHSS caregivers provide invaluable care to vulnerable and at-risk Californians daily and this one-time payment is the least that the state can do to support our efforts through this pandemic. This shows just how far we have come and that our voices are being heard and making an impact. Of course, we have a long way to go before reaching an equitable and sustainable future for all care providers, so we must keep looking forward and fighting for what we deserve!

Thank you for your tremendous work in leading us one step further on this journey to a future that respects and recognizes all UDW members as essential, front-line workers.

Now that our union includes caregivers and family child care providers, we’re changing the name of our newsletter to be more inclusive—but we need to hear from you! All UDW members are welcome to submit name ideas, and every member who submits will be entered to win a gift card for $100. All entries must be received by March 1, 2022. Visit www.udwa.org/caregiver-contest to enter today!

Magdalena Castillo cares for her 38-year-old daughter, Leticia, through the IHSS program. Leticia is the oldest of three siblings and lives with Seckel syndrome, a rare genetic condition that slows growth before and after birth, causing dwarfism, intellectual disability and, in her case, limited mobility. As a result, Leticia requires round-the-clock care.

Originally, Magdalena and her children lived in San Jose, where she worked as a clerk for the county. Magdalena’s three children attended a local daycare with help from subsidy programs. When they moved to Los Baños, Leticia attended a day program while her mother worked, and her brothers were in school. But when Leticia could no longer attend the day program, Magdalena knew something had to change.

At first it seemed too good to be true, but once she learned more, she decided to give it a try. Leticia deserved an active and engaged life, and Magdalena knew she could provide her with those opportunities—and now she could do just that, while still supporting her family.

Magdalena joined the union right away because she knew it was invaluable to have a strong union supporting her and her fellow workers.

Low IHSS wages certainly made it difficult for her as a single mother of three, but she made it work. Her boys eventually grew up and joined the military, leaving Magdalena and Leticia alone in their home and making things a little easier financially.. Although living on a fixed income is challenging, Magdalena is grateful for the IHSS program.

Together, Magdalena and Leticia spend hours crafting, gardening, playing with their dogs, and finding bargains at their local stores. More recently, Magdalena and Leticia volunteered at a UDW food distribution event in Merced.

“It was our first-time volunteering together and I was so proud and thankful to be able to share that experience with her,” said Magdalena.

Next, they’re looking forward to fighting for higher wages, sick pay, retirement, and vacation time. They are also excited to meet other UDW members and continue strengthening their bonds with their fellow union siblings:

Co-founder of the United Farm Workers inspired San Diego organizers to start UDW

Every March 31 since 2001, California celebrates Cesar Chavez day. The holiday, which falls on the legendary labor leaders’s birthday, honors the work Chavez did to organize farm workers and promote civil rights for all.

You may know Chavez as the co-founder, along with Dolores Huerta, of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. But did you know he was also largely responsible for founding UDW? It’s true! And the story of our founding shows how the shared experiences of different groups of workers can help build power.

In the 1960s and 70s, many spouses of farm workers were domestic workers. Chavez saw that the two groups of workers had much in common, including being specifically excluded from the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 due to the racism of Southern politicians. Chavez had long believed that domestic workers, like farm workers, needed to be organized into a union to fight for their rights. But most experienced union organizers were hesitant to try organizing a workforce hidden in people’s homes.

“Cesar and Helen Chavez knew all about domestic workers and they’d been trying since 1962 to get someone to organize a union for domestic workers.” says Ken Seaton-Msemaji, who, along with his late wife, Fahari Jeffers and co-founders Greg Akili and Raquel Beltran, started UDW. “Everybody that he approached respectfully turned him down because they thought it was impossible.”

For years, it seemed like Chavez would never find the right people to create the union that would become UDW. But, if the problem was the pessimism of experienced labor organizers, the solution turned out to be finding organizers who had no experience with labor and were unafraid to charge full steam ahead into a completely new form of union organizing.

That’s where Fahari and Ken came in. In the early 70s, Fahari and Ken were a young couple deeply involved in social justice and civil rights. They were already well-known to Chavez from their work with NIA Cultural Organization and other community-based initiatives.

After forming an organizing committee in 1977, Ken and the others set about doing the work that others were afraid to take on—reaching out to workers like us in the homes we worked in, listening to our concerns, and giving us a voice to advocate for ourselves, our families, and the people we cared for.

“Cesar Chavez convinced me and Fahari and others that the most important thing we could do with our lives was to organize and empower poor people of all colors and women,” Ken said in a 2015 interview, “We committed to him we would spend our lives giving it our best. This is the hardest work that any of us have ever done or could ever do.”

All we have achieved over the years for our union goes back to the work of these fearless organizers. But the work of our founders and that of the thousands of UDW members who have given their time and dedication to build our union may not have happened had it not been for Cesar Chavez’ vision of justice for domestic workers.

When we observe Cesar Chavez Day, we should honor his legacy of labor activism and social justice and remember how he made sure the voices of California farm workers were heard around the world. But we should also celebrate our own union every Cesar Chavez day. By continuing to fight for the dignity of our work we are living the dream Cesar had for us.

“Our experience in Montgomery was a clear reminder that we have come so far in our fight for our rights, but we have so much further to go,” said UDW Secretary-Treasurer, William Reed.

On March 10, UDW members gathered in Montgomery, Alabama to walk an 11-mile leg of a 50-mile march in honor of the 57^th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march, originally led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of non-violent demonstrators fighting for voting rights.

To kick-off our trip, we trekked through rain and cold winds to visit some of Montgomery’s most historic sites and pay our respects to the incredible leadership and sacrifice that occurred throughout the city during the Civil Rights Movement. During our time in Montgomery, we took the time to make connections across centuries and learn not only about this country’s history, but about the roots of domestic labor, its ties to slavery and people of color, and why it continues to be undervalued today.

On our first day in the city, we participated in a walking tour that highlighted the history of the transatlantic slave trade, its transition into domestic slave trade, and Alabama’s role in its growth. We visited the Riverfront which was largely responsible for the growth of the domestic slave trade because of the newer means of transportation available, such as steamboats and the nearby railroad. We also walked down Commerce Street and visited locations that served as slave depots and the auction blocks where hundreds of thousands of enslaved people were sold along with land and livestock.

We began the civil rights portion of our tour at the bus stop where Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white man, sparking the 1956 Montgomery Bus Boycott, a major catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. As we stood at the Rosa Parks statue, we learned that Black domestic workers made up the bulk of bus riders and were essentially the backbone of the boycott. Without the support, defiance, and dedication of our fellow domestic workers, the Montgomery Bus Boycott would have failed.

The tour continued through Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and the parish where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family lived while he was the church’s pastor. Established in 1877 by freedmen and free people of color, the church served as a meeting place for civil rights organizers while planning the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

We concluded our historical walking tour at the Civil Rights Memorial, a memorial to 41 individuals who were killed by white supremacists between 1955-1968. At the center of the memorial stood a flattop fountain with the names, dates of death and manner of death engraved on it. We stood over the circular fountain and read every name, date, and manner of death, and reflected on the unnecessary violence Black folks endured while fighting for their humanity.

The next day, we visited three museums: the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Freedom Riders Museum.

The Legacy Museum provided a comprehensive history of our country from the transatlantic slave trade to the emergence of over-incarceration in the 20^th century. Founded by Bryan Stevenson, the museum was built with the intention to help people understand the pain, the suffering, and the truth behind our country’s history: We interacted with holographic projections of enslaved children, saw jars filled with dirt from hundreds of locations where lynchings took place across the U.S., and listened to recorded interviews with Black people unjustly put behind bars.

We then headed to a memorial to the more than 4,400 Black people who were lynched in America between 1877 and 1950, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. While there, we read the stories behind some of the lynchings, including one of a domestic worker named Eliza Woods who was falsely accused of poisoning her employer’s wife. Although her employer later confessed to killing his wife, Eliza was dragged from her cell by local townspeople and lynched. The museum also paid tribute to the Black domestic workers who made the Montgomery Bus Boycott possible, with three statues in their honor.

The last museum we visited was the Freedom Riders, which recounted the stories of more than 400 riders, both Black and white, who risked their lives to travel to the deep South and violate Jim Crow laws in order to challenge a segregated interstate travel system. At the museum we saw various editions of “The Green Book,” a travel guide that enabled Black travelers to find lodgings, businesses, restaurants, and stores that would serve them, and read various stories detailing the rider’s journeys and the extreme violence they faced.

The two days of educational and historical background fired us up for one of the trip’s highlights—commemorating the 57^th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery March. We led the fourth leg of the march in support of voting rights alongside various unions, including the AFL-CIO and AFSCME, and hundreds of supporters from around the country. The march was a total of 50 miles through a span of 5 days from Selma to the steps of Alabama’s State Capitol in Montgomery. Each leg of the march was led by community organizations, including the National Action Network, Black Voters Matter, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Women’s Roundtable.

A few of us, including UDW Vice President Astrid Zuniga, completed all 11 miles of the march that day.

The march concluded on Friday, March 18, as we walked the last steps alongside our fellow unions and marchers and gathered on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery for a special rally. The speakers, including UDW Executive Director Doug Moore, spoke out against voter suppression and the road that awaits us in our fights for civil rights and equity for all.

“The work of ensuring the right to vote is far from over,” said Doug. “We are battling the voices of hate that want to disenfranchise voters of color. Our people were harassed and beaten for fighting for the right to vote and they are not about to take it away from us now. When we vote, we vote for equity. We vote for justice. We vote for the people—all people.”

Through our time in Alabama, we were reminded that our work as care providers is the backbone of this country’s economy and that we have the power to create change. Our voices are louder, stronger, and more impactful when we come together and speak up for our rights. We are important; our work is invaluable; and the roots of our power and passion for change are deep, strong, and still expanding. Our foundation is strong and so is our will for change.

With help from her union, CCPU-UDW member Susana Perez won retroactive pay and stability for her small business

Susana Perez loves what she does. As a family child care provider, she enjoys helping the young children in her care grow and prepare for pre-school, and she loves that by supporting local families, her work also uplifts her community. But after nearly 15 years, the job hasn’t been without its struggles.

She found her passion for caring for young children while working as a pediatrician’s assistant. When her family moved from Carson to Beaumont in search of an affordable home of their own, Susana left the clinic and began caring for her neighbor’s children while continuing to care for her own. The need for care in her community grew, and soon enough she decided to open her own family child care business.

The business was doing so well, in fact, that two years ago Susana’s husband retired early to help her with the daycare, making it the only source of the Perez’s income.

“When COVID-19 struck, I became one of the sole supports for local families in an unprecedented pandemic,” Susana said. “I was not only caring for their children but acting as a resource to families who had nowhere else to turn.”

Susana kept her doors open and helped the children in her care adapt to virtual learning. When they went back to in-person learning, she added school pick-up and homework help to her program. Times were tough, but Susana had her union and her fellow child care providers to lean on: CCPU-UDW provided her with constant updates about the pandemic and the PPE she needed to maintain a clean and safe home, while her fellow members offered support and solidarity.

But late last year, just as the Omicron variant began to spike, two of the children in her care moved away and another child, a two-year-old girl, was diagnosed with leukemia. Susana ended up with three unexpected vacancies in her program within the span of a few weeks, a catastrophic hit to her family’s income.

“There were days when I seriously considered closing my doors because it was so tough. So much fluctuated with the families I supported, and I ended up being down to five children in the daycare.”

Thankfully, her union was right behind her. With help from CCPU-UDW staff, Susana learned she could continue to hold a spot for her young client for up to six months and continue to receive pay. The young girl would be able to return to her care once she fully recovered.

But just a month later, the state decided to end the hold for the young girl’s spot in Susana’s daycare without notice, retroactive to the previous month—violating AB 603, a law our union helped pass to protect child care providers from this very situation.

Susana and our union jumped into action: After a few phone calls and emails with photos of the written notice dated well after the 14-day notice should have been sent, the agency agreed to pay Susana retroactive pay for December 2021.

This victory was a clear reminder to Susana about why we fight to win legislation like AB 603 and how child care providers—and all union members—are stronger when we work together. “I’m so grateful to have all this support and knowledge in my corner,” said Susana. “If I didn’t have a union, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything—I wouldn’t have even known what to do.”

“UDW offers our union’s whole-hearted support to the people of Ukraine as they face a violent attack on their country from Russia under the immoral leadership of Vladimir Putin. All people deserve peace and self-determination, and Russia’s move to violently remove Ukraine’s democratically elected government and regain control of the region violates the rights of the Ukrainian people and threatens world security.

We also stand with those in Russia who are risking their own safety and freedom to oppose these attacks and will suffer not only from their own government’s actions but as a result of economic sanctions by countries around the world.

As a union of caregivers who have dedicated our lives to the health and safety of others, our hearts are breaking at the pointless and unforgivable suffering caused by Russia’s aggression and the centuries of imperialism that led to it. We urge our local, state, and national leaders to pursue a path toward peace in Ukraine that respects not only Ukrainian sovereignty, but the rights of all people worldwide to live in just and equitable societies.”

A union is only as strong as its members. Every victory we achieve is made possible by the passion and drive that members like you bring to every rally, march, and phone call. That’s why it’s so important that all our members—IHSS providers and family child care providers alike—get involved: so that we can build power and create transformative change together.

But there is more than one way to get involved. From volunteering at local food drives to participating in contract negotiations and giving testimony before Congress, UDW has opportunities for members interested in participating at all levels.

Getting started is only a few clicks or phone call away! Join the movement and take a stand for a better tomorrow. Along the way you’ll learn new skills, build stronger connections, amplify your voice and see the life-changing power of getting involved in your union.

PERB penalty underscores growing movement to enact term limits for county BOS

SACRAMENTO — Yesterday, the California Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) issued an administrative decision finding that Kern County is subject to a 7% withholding penalty on 1991 Realignment funds due to the county’s failure to come to a collective bargaining agreement with over 7,500 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers. The finding is the first of its kind under a 2021 law seeking to incentivize counties such as Kern who are worsening California’s long-term care crisis by refusing to recruit and retain enough workers to cover the growing need for care.

IHSS is funded by federal, state, and county sources and administered at the county level. Created out of the disability rights movement in the 1970s, IHSS provides home care to older adults and people with disabilities, allowing them to live in comfort and dignity and avoid unnecessary institutionalization. After over six years of failed negotiations, Kern’s IHSS workers currently earn only minimum wage–without benefits–for performing this critical service. United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), the union representing Kern IHSS workers, filed the complaint that resulted in the PERB ruling.

Though the final penalty is yet to be calculated, it is expected to be in excess of $700,000.

“This is really a case of the Kern County Board of Supervisors failing basic fiscal management. Instead of paying a modest wage increase to workers who would spend the money in the local economy, they are sending money back to the state,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “Not only are they putting thousands of vulnerable Kern residents—including many veterans and children—in danger of being forced into institutional care or living on the streets, they are also depriving local businesses of much-needed consumer spending. And they are sticking taxpayers with the bill.”

This decision is only the one example of Kern County leaders’ disregard for its residents: Roads and parks are in disrepair, libraries are crumbling, and homelessness is on the rise. To change the downward trajectory of their county, Kern County residents are rising up to demand change at the BOS: Last September, a coalition of community groups filed a petition to put term limits on the 2022 ballot and are well on the way to collecting enough signatures to put the issue before voters this year.

“We need a BOS that works for ALL Kern residents, not just big money oil and gas interests,” said Sandy Moreno, an IHSS provider and one of the proponents of the term limits petition. “Everyday Kern residents like me are getting together to support term limits because we can’t wait any longer for the smart, competent leadership that this county deserves.”

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a union made up of over 144,000 home care and child care providers throughout California. UDW home caregivers provide critical services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence. CCPU-UDW child care members provide quality, affordable, home-based child care for thousands of California’s working families.

Which lawmakers were in solidarity with seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, and working families in 2021?

During 2021, IHSS caregivers and family child care providers continued to serve heroically as frontline, essential workers during a pandemic. Yet we once again had to defend IHSS from budget cuts and saw thousands of child cares close due to the pandemic. More than ever, we needed champions in state government that saw our value and helped us stay safe and do our work. Every year, UDW scores the California legislature and the governor on their support of policies that impact our members. This year, those scores not only show which of our lawmakers championed care, but which ones defended us, our clients, and our communities when it really mattered.

Thanks to our union’s strong voice at the State Capitol, COVID-19 supplemental paid sick time has been restored for Californians, including IHSS providers, retroactive to January 1, 2022, and up to September 30, 2022. COVID sick pay gives us peace of mind and allows us to focus on staying healthy and not worrying about putting food on the table or covering bills if we do become sick. Members like you made this happen!

Here is what you need to know about how the extension of COVID-19 sick leave impacts you:

If you are an IHSS provider, you can apply for the COVID-19 sick leave if one of the following criteria applies to you:

How do you apply for COVID-19 sick pay?
COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave is available for immediate use. Inform your client right away that you need to take sick leave and submit a sick leave claim to the county. You must complete the form TEMP 3021 (4/21), which requires both provider and recipient information, as well as claim dates, and the reason for claiming sick time.

Labor-negotiated deal protects older Californians, people with disabilities

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union representing over 125,000 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers, today released the following statements after the California Legislature passed legislation providing two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave benefits to California’s workers through September 30, 2022.

“Thanks to the advocacy of organized labor representing frontline workers, California’s long-term care system is stronger today and better prepared to handle the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. By passing an extension of supplemental sick leave for California’s workers, the State Legislature has ensured that essential workers like IHSS providers will be able to protect their clients and their own families if they have been exposed or infected with COVID-19. We are pleased the state has heeded our advocacy on behalf of home care workers.”

UDW Statewide President Editha Adams, an IHSS caregiver for her adult daughter, said:

“As caregivers, we work tirelessly to ensure our clients are safe and comfortable and that their needs are met. But, because we are paid so little, we are often unable to meet our own needs. Extending pandemic sick leave gives home care providers a safety net in the unfortunate event we are impacted by the virus and allows us to focus on what we do best: protecting the older residents and people with disabilities in our communities.”

Last year, Salvador Lopez Segura became the primary caregiver for every single member of his immediate family, including his wife and both of his disabled sons, Cesar and David. He struggled to care for everyone’s physical and emotional well-being while also keeping up with bills and other needs and knew he needed help.

Ten years ago, Salvador’s youngest son David was headed to college. Then a diagnosis of Cerebral Tendonitis Rheumatoid changed everything. Salvador kept his job in the Kern oil fields, but his wife was forced to close her business to care for their son.

In 2019, Salvador’s wife was placed on dialysis and could no longer keep up with David’s extensive care needs—in fact, she needed a caregiver herself. So Salvador retired from the oil fields to care for her and their eldest son Cesar stepped in as his little brother’s primary caregiver.

It wasn’t an easy adjustment, but the Lopez Seguras made the best of the situation. Although some days were tough, they were facing the challenges as a family.

Then last year, amid the pandemic and myriad obstacles the family had already faced, things shifted once again. Salvador’s oldest son Cesar lost his ability to walk and was diagnosed with the same illness as his younger brother. Salvador was now the primary caregiver for every person in his family.

With pressure building and a mountain of bills to pay, Salvador knew he needed help increasing his families’ IHSS hours, which were limited to 111 per month. He knew that he had his union to lean on and visited his local UDW office in Bakersfield to talk through his case. His union representative walked him through the appeals process to ask for more hours, including tips on collecting the correct paperwork from David’s doctors and help submitting the paperwork to the correct people to ensure a quick response. Together, they successfully completed the appeals process, earning Salvador an additional 75 paid hours per month to care for David and retroactive pay of over $1,000 for the previous months.

“It’s been a relief to have the additional hours. I don’t have to stress as much about money, and I don’t fall behind on payments anymore. It’s so comforting to know that when there is something I don’t understand, I always have someone to call.”

Salvador and his family still face many challenges, but too few IHSS hours is not one of them. They are hopeful about their future and are happy to have the strength and experience of the union behind them. Having seen how important UDW is for IHSS providers in his community, Salvador helps his fellow union members in any way he can, including collecting signatures in support of our Kern County Term Limits campaign, volunteering at local drives, and more.

“UDW has helped me grow so much,” Salvador says. “Now it’s my turn to give back in the same way they’ve supported me and other providers”.

As COVID-19 guidelines continue to shift, we want to ensure that IHSS providers have the latest available information and resources. This pandemic is overwhelming and difficult for all of us, but we are thankful to have each other—and our union—so that we can fight together for a better tomorrow. See below for some important updates.

Click here to learn about how the extension of COVID-19 sick leave impacts you.

As of Dec. 22, 2021, it is now mandatory for some IHSS and WPCS providers to be fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19. Under the updated requirements, providers will be required to get a booster shot for the COVID-19 vaccine by Feb.1, 2022, or within 15 days of becoming eligible for a booster if not yet eligible as of Feb. 1, 2022. The mandate only applies to IHSS or WPCS providers who care for a non-family client or a client who does not live with them.

COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are free to all. Register for a COVID vaccine or booster appointment at myturn.ca.gov or call the California COVID-19 Hotline at 1-833-422-4255 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) for assistance.

Free, at-home COVID-19 tests rolled out on January 18 and can be ordered through the USPS website at special.usps.com/testkits. Every U.S. residential address is eligible to order four rapid COVID-19 antigen tests for free from the U.S. Postal Service, which will begin shipping tests in late January. Order your tests today:

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is working with state and local public health officials to monitor the spread of the omicron variant, which is contributing to a massive uptick in COVID-19 cases in California and across the country.

While transmission numbers are rising, we have the tools to fight omicron: vaccines, masks, and testing. Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission, and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. Masks continue to offer protection against all variants. The CDC recommends wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, regardless of vaccination status. For advice about masks and the types of masks that may be right for you, visit cdc.gov. Lastly, tests are the key to early detection and slowing transmission. Visit your local health department’s website or check out your county in the list below to look for the latest local information on testing.

Please also continue to wash your hands thoroughly and often, use social distancing, and limit time spent with those outside your household as much as possible.

For detailed information regarding quarantining if you test positive, visit the updated CDC website, here.

For 10 things you can do to manage your COVID-19 Symptoms at home, click here. For languages other than English, click here.

COVID-19 supplemental paid sick time has been restored for Californians, including IHSS providers, retroactive to January 1, 2022, and up to September 30, 2022. Click here to learn how you can apply for paid sick leave.

If you are caring for someone with COVID-19 at home or in a non-healthcare setting, follow this advice to protect yourself and others. Learn what to do when someone has symptoms or when someone has been diagnosed with the virus.

Seek emergency medical attention if someone is experiencing any of these signs*:

*This list is not all possible symptoms. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Call 911 or call ahead to your local emergency facility; Notify the operator that you are seeking care for someone who has or may have COVID-19.

Last September, the current administration increased funding for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and thanks to our advocacy, it includes funding to give IHSS providers Heroes Pay: a one-time payment of $500 to any provider who worked a minimum of two months between March 2020 and March 2021. The state has started disbursing the funds, which they are calling “Care Economy Payments” and payouts should be completed by Jan. 28, 2022. If you believe you are eligible and have not received your payment by mid-February, please let us know!

We are here as a resource to all members during these ever-changing and tumultuous times. Call us at 1-800-621-5016* Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Our Member Benefits Center can:

If you have recently tested positive for COVID-19, feel free to call us to request PPE and other supplies or assistance.

Family child care providers throughout California are bravely navigating the impact of Omicron and other variants while caring for young ones. CCPU providers stood together to win the support and stability we needed to stay healthy and keep our doors open, and we continue to advocate for what providers and families need as the pandemic continues. Read below to be sure you’re taking advantage of the programs and tools available to you.

As a reminder, CCPU-UDW members fought for the following benefits, which are in effect from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022: waiver of family fees, reimbursement based on enrollment rather than attendance, and 16 paid nonoperational days for COVID-19-related closures.

In support of child care providers that are open during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those that plan to open by February 28, 2022, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care Licensing Program (CCLP) continues to partner with local Resource and Referral agencies to distribute emergency supplies. The distribution of emergency supplies is scheduled for the last two weeks of January 2022.

CCLP will distribute supplies, including both at-home COVID test kits, surgical masks for children, and other PPE. Emergency supplies are for all child care program types, e.g. licensed and exempt providers caring for subsidized and non-subsidized children.

Reach out to your local Resource and Referral to find out when, where, and what PPE is offered. Click HERE to start searching.

The latest testing guidelines for the child care industry can be found here. Testing is one layer in a multi-layered approach to COVID-19 prevention particularly when social distancing is not possible. While there is no testing requirement from CCLP, there may be a testing expectation from the local Public Health Department or other organizations that providers work with. To the extent that there are testing or other COVID-related safety requirements for providers or families from authorized organizations, those organizations are responsible to provide whatever is needed to comply with such requirements.

REMEMBER: Free, confidential COVID-19 testing is available to every Californian. Get vaccinated to reduce the need for testing.

The more we come together through our union, the greater the victories we build. Join our union today!

Union membership is powerful! The work we have done together to lift up caregiving over the past year made legislators recognize how valuable our work is to the community. Now, thanks to all of us raising our voices, they are finally recognizing us with more than kind words—they are rewarding us with bonus pay for our dedication.

How did this happen? Caregivers and our advocates made sure the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) included funding to give IHSS providers Heroes Pay: a one-time payment of $500 to any IHSS provider who worked a minimum of two months between March 2020 and March 2021. The state has started disbursing the funds, which they are calling “Care Economy Payments,” and payouts should be completed by Jan. 28, 2022. If you believe you are eligible and do not receive your payment by mid-February, please let us know!

“UDW fought hard for this recognition of our members,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “IHSS caregivers provide invaluable care to vulnerable and at-risk Californians daily and this one-time payment is the least that the state can do to support our efforts through this pandemic. This shows just how far we have come and what we can do with a powerful and strong union.”

IHSS providers and other home caregivers are an important part of our country’s infrastructure. Heroes Pay is only a small step toward having our leaders respect what we do and reward it as the essential work that it is. Through our union, we will continue to fight for what is right and keep working for a better tomorrow for all. Together, we can make sure caregiving heroes get what we deserve every day.

Our union is growing and getting stronger every day. Our movement to empower care workers and improve our communities made huge strides this year, and the heightened awareness of our importance as essential workers is making us a mighty force to be reckoned with. There has never been a more exciting time to be a member of UDW!

At our 17th Constitutional Convention held at UDW offices across the state, UDW caregivers and child care providers came together to celebrate our victories and forge a path forward for our union for many years to come. After helping keep our communities safe during the pandemic and beating back the threat of the recall election, this fall we are appreciating an especially productive year for our union—and gearing up for all the possibilities ahead.

• Won our first collective bargaining agreement for child care providers:
We increased rates for CCPU-UDW members for the first time in five years, increased funding for the program, and so much more.

• Ended the 7% cut—for good!: Thanks to the tireless work of UDW on behalf of our clients, we won our fight to remove the last remaining cuts to IHSS hours from state law.

• Stopped the recall: Because he has proven himself to be one of the strongest supporters we’ve ever had in the Governor’s office, we mobilized our membership to stop the wasteful and destructive effort to recall Gavin Newsom.

• Turned up the heat for better
IHSS pay: We passed a bill that will enact a 7% penalty on counties that won’t budge on IHSS raises and that refuse to bargain in good faith. And we passed another bill that makes sure counties have the funds
to pay us.

• Respecting care work: Now that the pandemic proved how important care work is, we are going to make sure they understand that without care workers there is no care. We will work with state and national leaders to ensure that everyone who needs care gets it, and that care funding is strong and safe from cuts.

• Fighting for what’s fair and equitable: We will continue to combine our fight for higher pay and worker protections with the fight for social justice, looking for new ways to weed out the hate and bias that runs through every institution in this country.

• Protecting the environment: As climate catastrophes escalate, we will step up our fight to ensure everyone has clean air and water and that this planet is here for our grandchildren.

• Fighting for a just economy: We will help lead the way to an economy with good jobs that reward workers for what they contribute to society.

We’ve come so far as a union. We fought hard for our voice. We fought hard for our seat at the table. Stay connected with your union and join us as we lift up care workers—and our communities—for a brighter future for everyone!

Our wages, our clients’ care, the future of our union—all of it was on the line in the election to recall Governor Gavin Newsom. The leading candidates vying to replace Newsom promised to attack our wages and the programs that help the people we serve if they were elected. So we did what we do best:
We organized and fought back.

We picked up the phones and made over 1.6 million calls to Californians to let them know how important this election was to working people. We sent out email and text messages and knocked on doors throughout the state. We even hosted Newsom and other elected leaders at a press conference at our San Diego headquarters.

Despite millions spent by the opposition, voters up and down the state responded to our message of equity and good governance. We won—and we also sent a message.

“The recall threatened all the progress we’ve made so far. It threatened issues that are critical to people like us such as higher pay, sick leave and the right to join a union,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “UDW members let the anti-worker billionaires who funded the recall know greed and fear don’t run California; we do.”

What do you want for your future and how will you fight for that through your union?

I want to continue to care for and protect my 6-year-old autistic son and ensure he has all the tools and resources needed to live a happy and safe life. I just found out I have a union and have been getting involved with union activities, I am so happy to be a part of this organization that fights for my son’s rights by protecting a program that he will need throughout his life.

I want child care to be a respected career and profession with access to retirement benefits, affordable health care options, and paid time off. I see that happening for us by having CCPU-UDW on our side and child care providers guiding each other as we fight for what is long overdue. Our union believed in us long before anyone else did. Together we will fight for the tools we need to better serve future generations, and make dreams come true for child care providers everywhere!

I want to keep fighting along with my fellow union brothers and sisters so that elected leaders see the work of home care providers as real, essential, and valuable. One way we can do this is through the power of our union. We can help elect new leaders in our county that are willing to invest in this program, not just for me, but for the future of the aging population and people with disabilities.

Finally! The statewide minimum wage increases to $15 on January 1—a victory UDW members fought hard for in 2016—triggering wage increases for IHSS providers across the state.

Every November we celebrate Provider Appreciation Month, a time to thank care providers for everything we do to keep our clients safe and healthy and our communities strong and resilient.

Traditionally, we mark the occasion with dinners and celebrations in our home counties, with each region putting its own spin on the annual event. It’s a time to share our struggles and our strengths as caregivers.

Last year, of course, the pandemic upended our plans. But, when UDW hits an obstacle we don’t quit; we just find another way! And so, new traditions like drive-through turkey giveaways and Zoom parties were born to celebrate our members.

Online or in person, one thing is always the same for our Provider Appreciation Month events: the deep gratitude we feel toward our work, toward our clients and the programs they rely on, and toward each other.

Check with your local UDW office to find out what your district is planning for Provider Appreciation Month. Your union appreciates you. You deserve
to be celebrated!

After six years of failed negotiations on our contract, UDW and our allies have launched a countywide effort to establish term limits for the Kern County Board of Supervisors (BOS). The current BOS has made it clear they would rather hire expensive law firms and pay unnecessary penalties than simply give IHSS providers a modest pay increase—and we’ve had enough of their disrespect and abuse.

We need new leaders who care about EVERYONE in Kern County, not just big money interests like oil and gas companies. Enacting term limits for the BOS is the tool we need to remove these do-nothing politicians and make way for elected leaders who care about us and our families.

As it is now, Kern County Supervisors can run for reelection as many times as they want, making it difficult for new people and new ideas to lead our county. Our campaign seeks to limit BOS members to TWO TERMS, or eight years. The Governor and our state legislators all have term limits. Even the President of the United States is limited to two terms! Why should Kern County Supervisors serve indefinitely? Many other counties have imposed term limits on their BOS; it’s time that we do, too.

The current BOS is failing more than the IHSS program. Roads are crumbling, air quality is getting worse, and more and more people are living on the streets. That’s why term limits are supported by a broad coalition of Kern residents and faith groups and why you should join us in working for a better future for our county.

You can help by joining us on December 11 for a signature-gathering event. We’ve already knocked on thousands of doors and gained the support of thousands of Kern residents who want change. With your help, we can get our term limit initiative on the November 2022 ballot and put the future of our county back where it belongs—in the hands of the voters.

If you can’t help gather signatures, make sure you sign on in support of term limits when someone comes to your door or when you see signature-gathering happening around town. Call or email if you have questions or need more information.

Our goal of a better, safer, healthier Kern is within reach. You can help make it happen!

WHEN: Saturday, December 11, 2021
RSVP today by calling (661)321-0239 or by emailing Ricardo at [email protected].

**Practice safety protocols, such as social distancing, using sanitizing products, and personal protective equipment.

November is Provider Appreciation Month and every year we honor and celebrate the importance of our work as caregivers and the advocacy we take on every day on behalf of all IHSS providers and our clients. Our work is endless, not only because we go above and beyond to give our clients the care, attention, and love they deserve, but we fight to make long-lasting change at all levels to better our lives and our communities.

“Being a caregiver is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done and each and every one of us that is a part of this community recognizes that our job is important and serves a fundamental role in our state,” said Kern County member and IHSS provider Sandy Moreno. Together, we have fought hard to have our voices heard and our work acknowledged and respected.

This year, we finally ended the 7% cut to IHSS for good, stopped the recall of Governor Newsom, who has proven himself to be one of the strongest supporters we’ve ever had, and we successfully passed a bill that will enact a financial penalty on counties that won’t budge on raises and refuse to bargain in good faith.

This November, UDW hosted 16 provider appreciation events up and down the state and distributed over 3,500 turkeys, bags of groceries, and other goodies and prizes. We know that our days are long and exhausting, but we also know that we are changing lives every day—and our union is here to support us and honor our work every day

We’ve come so far, but our work doesn’t end here. Member Tania Ferrucci of Orange County sees us taking bigger strides toward change. “I hope that in the future, providers receive higher wages that reflect the hard work we do for our loved ones and the community, as well as access to a retirement plan and medical insurance—because we deserve to have our needs met.”

Our voice, experiences, and work matter, and we have the power to continue uplifting care workers and our communities.

My name is Christine Nguyen, and I’ve been an IHSS provider in San Diego for 16 years and a proud member of UDW since 2001.

Before I became a provider, I owned my own business. When it closed, I began my new career in homecare when I started taking care of an elderly woman who needed help. I do this work because I want to keep people in their homes among their families and friends, so they can live full and independent lives.

Right now, John is my only client. He’s 84-years-old, and I care for him in my home—although we’re not related, I took him in because he had nowhere else to go. Last year, when he was given just 43 hours per month by IHSS, I knew he was being treated unjustly. He, like many clients I know, needs so much more than just an hour and half of care each day.

I became John’s homecare provider after he had a stroke in 2013. He has dementia and trouble with many of his motor skills. His high cholesterol and hypertension require him to have a special diet, so I cook for him and supervise him during his meals.

My initial application to be John’s provider was denied last January. In August, we were finally able to get a social worker to assess him. During the assessment, the social worker only spoke with John, never with me. Unfortunately, part of John’s condition leaves him unable to understand or answer questions very well. In the end, he was given only 43 hours of care per month.

As homecare providers, we know our clients best. I knew that John needed far more than 43 hours to receive quality care. I had to do something.

I’d had a similar situation with another elderly client who was given only 46 hours though she needed a lot more care. Laura Reyes — former UDW President, currently the Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME —helped us get the hours she needed. So when John needed help, I turned to my union once again.

This time we worked with UDW’s advocacy council, and John and I were able to get a hearing and make our case last September. In January, we received notice that John’s hours of care had been increased from 43 to 263 per month!

Throughout the process, I never abandoned John. I continued to care for him in my home even though I did not get paid that entire year. It was hard, and I nearly lost my house because I was unable to make my mortgage payments. Oftentimes, I had to borrow money just to make ends meet. I can’t explain how thankful I am that I won back pay for every month I worked unpaid – totaling nearly $30,000.

John and I are both grateful for the support that we continue to receive from UDW and my fellow homecare providers. Just a few months ago, I received a wheelchair for John that had been donated by another member to UDW and the California Independent Provider Training Center’s (CAIPTC)’s Food for Families food drive. John’s old wheelchair was very uncomfortable for him, and caused him pain. The new one is lighter, and makes everything easier on both of us.

Each UDW County has an Advocacy Council that can assist us with issues like restoring our client’s hours, preparing for home visits, or reducing our client’s Share of Cost. Our jobs are tough and very stressful, and it is great to know that we are not alone.

The state of California is making it mandatory for some IHSS/WPCS providers to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by November 30, 2021. The mandate is intended to protect IHSS recipients who receive care from someone outside of their family or household. The vaccine mandate does not apply to most family and/or live-in IHSS providers. If you have a non-family client who does not live with you and you have not yet been vaccinated, you should make plans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Though there may be changes in the future, this is what you need to know about the vaccine mandate right now:

The mandate applies to you because you either provide care to a non-family member outside of your home or you provide care to clients in multiple households.

The mandate is intended to protect the health and well-being of IHSS recipients, some of whom may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19

Your client is responsible for enforcing the mandate, which includes checking your proof-of-vaccination documentation. There is no requirement for the client to report your vaccination status to the county or state. It is best to carry your proof of vaccination with you while working, should your client request to see it.

No, you will not receive a violation if you fail to comply. However, your client does have the right to require you to comply as a condition of employment.

Yes, there are exemptions for religious or medical reasons. You will have to fill out this form to receive an exemption. Note: Even if you receive an exemption from the vaccine, you are still required to get weekly COVID tests and wear a mask while providing care.

If you’re unsure where and how to get vaccinated, we recommend visiting MyTurn.ca.gov or calling 2-1-1 to find the nearest vaccination location and make an appointment.

I don’t qualify for an exemption, but I just don’t want to get the COVID vaccine. Why should I have to do it?

We know that the vaccine mandate can be controversial, and we sympathize with those who have reservations about getting the vaccine. However, all the COVID vaccines available right now are safe, effective, and greatly reduce your chance of contracting COVID or spreading it to others. Getting vaccinated is the single most powerful act you can do to save lives—including your own.

If you have more questions about vaccines and the vaccine mandate, call your UDW Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016

On August 31, our elected delegates gathered for our 17^thConstitutional Convention. Because the pandemic is still a threat to public health, we held an in-person/online hybrid convention with the main program taking place in the UDW Riverside office and delegate’s joining digitally from satellite offices across the state. Though we hold conventions every three years to carry out the necessary business of our union, these events are also a chance to take stock of where we’ve been—and where we are going.

The theme for this convention was “Our Union, Our Future” and, along with celebrating our many wins, we all reveled in the chance to be optimistic after challenging times.

Our Statewide President Editha Adams kicked things off by highlighting how far we have come together. “In the past few years, UDW has ramped up our involvement in social justice movements, while continuing our work to protect and expand long-term care and fix the broken child care system,” she said. “In the three short years since our last convention, we have accomplished so much together—and that’s why I am so happy to be here with you, celebrating everything we’ve done so far, and everything we’re about to do to build a better future for UDW members and our communities.”

Two of the biggest victories we celebrated have come in the last year: removing the 7 percent cut to IHSS hours once and for all, and ratifying the first contract ever for our child care members. Lee Saunders, President of our parent union, AFSCME, spoke to the convention and emphasized that UDW wins for our members because of our strength as a union and our special tenacity as people who do care work. He also noted that, as a union that is by majority women and people of color, we are unafraid to take on the larger work of social justice.

“What you’ve accomplished has inspired your AFSCME family and working people all across the country,“ Saunders said. “You have always known that representing your members means addressing the interconnected inequalities that they face. That’s why you have been a force for justice.”

We will be an even bigger force for justice going forward, as the 2021 UDW Convention made the full integration of our child care membership into our union official. With 20,000 new care workers added to our strength, we are bigger—and stronger—than ever!

In his keynote address, UDW Executive Director Doug Moore laid out how we will use our growing power to make real and lasting change in the world, and what that change will look like.

“We want to live in a California where everyone has the care they need, every care worker is rewarded for their work with good pay and benefits, and where everyone has the resources to live a good life and realize their dreams,” Doug said. “The past for workers like us was discrimination and oppression. The present for us has been about sacrifice. The future of our union, brothers and sisters, is justice.”

At convention, UDW members attended a workshop on Labor and Social Justice 101, saw presentations from Kaiser Permanente, the B5 Foundation, and CAIPTC, and heard keynotes from Doug Moore, President Saunders, and California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber. Elected member delegates voted on changes to our union’s constitution, which will be posted to our website upon final approval by AFSCME, and voted to approve the following resolutions:

Resolution 8: Supporting Alternatives to Police to Keep UDW Members and Families Safe During Crises

Stay connected to your union to find out more about the new and exciting plans we have for building that justice. Because this is Our Union, and Our Future!

Recalling Governor Newsom could lead to IHSS cuts and endanger us and those we care for

We’ve won important victories for IHSS caregivers and family child care providers in the last two years, and many of those victories would not have happened if we did not have a governor who supports UDW members and the work we do. Before he was even elected, Governor Gavin Newsom met with our members many times to find out what was important to us. As governor, he became the strongest advocate this union has ever had.

Because he is such a strong advocate of our union, recalling Gov. Newsom could reverse some of our most important victories and lead to cuts to the programs that pay our wages.

But because recall elections are confusing and the internet right now is filled with conspiracies and lies, Gov. Newsom is in real danger of being recalled even though the majority of Californians don’t want it. He could be recalled even if millions more voters choose him over any challenger in the recall. That’s why it’s so important that you vote NO on the recall!

Let’s be clear—a lot of what you are hearing and seeing on the internet about the recall is just not true. This election isn’t about whether or not you like Governor Newsom or how you feel about masks and vaccines. it’s about whether or not you want to take everything we have won as a union and throw it away. If Governor Newsom is recalled, we will go back to the days of fighting cuts to IHSS and fighting to be paid AT ALL, much less geting the raises providers deserve.

Unlike everyone running viably against him in the recall, Governor Gavin Newsom is a strong supporter of IHSS and family child care providers. Recalling the governor will hurt caregivers, child care providers and the people we serve. Our programs will be cut and we will be paid less. It’s that simple.

We have every reason to believe that, if Gavin Newsom is recalled, our livelihoods and the well being of those we care for would be in immediate danger. Don’t tune out this election. Everything we have achieved as a union so far—and everything we hope to achieve in the future—is at stake.

On September 14, residents of California will be voting on whether or not to recall Governor Gavin Newsom from office. You’ve probably heard arguments from both sides, but I want to stick to the facts: we need a governor who will work with us to protect the IHSS program and fix the broken child care system.

In our last recall in 2003, Californians voted to replace Gray Davis with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Once he took office, Governor Schwarzenegger attempted to eliminate the IHSS program altogether, which would have left hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities—our clients and loved ones—without care.

That’s why it’s so vitally important that our elected leaders know us and value the work we do. Since taking office, Governor Newsom has shown us time and again that he supports caregivers and child care providers. He showed us when he dubbed us essential workers during the pandemic, and when he worked with us to ensure that we had the PPE and sanitation supplies we needed to keep the people in our care safe.

He was the governor who signed our bill allowing child care providers to unionize. And he’s the governor who this year worked with us to end the 7% cut to IHSS for good, and helped our child care members make history with our first contract ever.

We know that Governor Newsom will continue to invest in our members, our families, and the people we care for. Let’s vote no on the recall to keep him in office.

Not registered to vote? Click here!

“It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Richard Trumka, a fierce defender of the rights of working Americans and a tireless warrior in the fight for justice. A son of the coal mines, he never forgot that all work has value and all workers deserve the right to share in the prosperity they create. As a union representing over 140,000 home care and child care workers, we deeply appreciate Rich’s commitment to building political power for workers by bringing all of our voices into the national dialog. Because of his grit and determination, millions of working Americans have safer workplaces, access to healthcare and retirement security and, most importantly, the continued right to organize and collectively bargain for better futures.

On a personal level, I will miss Rich’s leadership and guidance. In the 23 years I knew him, he never pulled his punches and he never hesitated to “tell it like it is.” The labor movement will miss his straight talk, his passion, and his unwavering belief in the dignity of work. On behalf of our membership, we offer our deepest condolences to his family and our promise to continue fighting for working people in his memory.”

On July 26, our Executive Director Doug Moore brought the voice of caregivers and child care providers to the fight for voting rights. Moore joined civil rights leaders Reverend Jesse Jackson and Reverend Dr. William Barber and hundreds of other advocates of free and fair elections who withstood the nearly 100 degree heat in Phoenix, Arizona, to take part in a peaceful, non-violent march and protest calling on Congress to take meaningful actions to protect our American system of voting and the economic security of working people.

The days’ actions were focused on ending the filibuster, a procedure in the Senate that allows minority parties to delay or obstruct proceedings. Although in theory the filibuster should be used sparingly in extreme circumstances, in current reality it is being used by anti-union, anti-worker forces stalling legislation that would rebuild our economy and protect the democratic process. The protest took place at the office of Senator Krysten Sinema and, along with calling for an end to the filibuster, demanded Congress defend our freedom to vote and act to improve the lives of working people, including raising the minimum wage to $15. With millions of Americans in danger of losing their housing as pandemic relief measures run out, the need for Congress to take these needed actions is urgent.

To demonstrate their commitment to these critical issues, Moore, Jackson, Barber and more than 100 others were arrested at the protest after staging a sit-in at the offices of Senator Sinema. When speaking at the rally before the march and arrest, Moore told the workers in Phoenix that the 140,000 providers in California stand with them in solidarity as all labor fights are our fights, and all fights for voting rights are our fight.

“As a union made up mostly of women and people of color, we know all too well what it feels like to be kept out of the voting process,” Moore said after returning to California. “We will not stand idly by while our members’ economic security and access to voting is threatened. We will fight back.”

Members of Child Care Providers United (CCPU) voted overwhelmingly on Monday to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement with the state of California.

The historic agreement includes long-overdue pay raises for providers, investments in continuing education for a workforce made up predominantly of women of color, and critical investments to strengthen access to care for working parents and support California’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When providers started organizing almost two decades ago, we knew it would mean even longer days testifying at the Capitol, marching across the state, and rallying to have our voices heard,” said Charlotte Neal, a Sacramento child care provider and a member of the CCPU negotiations team. “But we knew that’s what we had to do to strengthen the profession and lift working families and their children.”

In an election held from July 12 to July 26, 99.6% of all CCPU members who participated in the ratification process voted to accept the agreement. CCPU brings together 40,000 family child care providers across California and is a partnership of SEIU Local 99, SEIU Local 521, and UDW/AFSCME Local 3930.

“Led by women of color, today’s historic win is the culmination of nearly 20 years of grit and resilience,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said in a statement. “With this contract, child care providers will finally receive fair compensation for the essential work they do – caring for and educating the next generation. The success of this campaign will help expand access to quality early childhood education for California’s working families.”

The state of California ratified its side of the collective bargaining agreement via AB 131, this year’s child care budget trailer bill that the legislature passed two weeks ago, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this past Friday.

“Working long hours is nothing new for child care providers like me; that’s what it takes to provide quality early childhood education for the young children of working families in Sacramento County and around the state,” Neal said.

“We could barely pay our bills before COVID hit, and we watched our union siblings close their doors when they simply ran out of money to pay their mortgages,” she added. “Thanks to the providers who voted to ratify this agreement and the parents and legislative leaders across the state who stood beside us in this fight, we finally have room to breathe again.”

The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930) issued the following statement regarding the 2021-2022 Budget:

“The more than 120,000 home care workers represented by UDW are deeply grateful to Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, and Senate Pro Tempore Toni Atkins for permanently restoring funding to California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program and ending the 7 percent cut to IHSS hours once and for all.

IHSS is a critical program that allows low-income seniors and people with disabilities to receive life-affirming care at home. Removing the threat of cutting their care hours—a threat UDW members have fought for many years—is a strong show of support for long-term care in our state.

We also celebrate the decision to preserve the current 65-35 IHSS cost split between the state and counties and enact a 7 percent fiscal penalty on counties that refuse to bargain in good faith with IHSS workers. These incentives will not only empower IHSS providers in the bargaining process, but they will also help build a stronger caregiver workforce so that all low-income Californians can access the care they need.

Our members are grateful to the leadership of Assemblymembers Lorena Gonzalez, Eloise Reyes and Jim Frazier for championing these issues in the budget.

Thank you again to the Newsom administration and the Legislature for listening to our members’ concerns, championing home care workers, and protecting the IHSS program for the half a million seniors and people with disabilities who rely on it to survive and thrive. Governor Newsom has shown us time and again what it means to build a California that is truly for all.”

-Doug Moore
Executive Director, United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930)

Ms. Terry Walker-Dampier lives her life based on a simple mantra passed down to her from her mother: “You are not responsible for how people treat you; you are responsible for how you treat other people.” Terry’s decades as a caregiver and strong champion of our union are a testament to how seriously she takes that responsibility.

Currently, Terry acts as UDW’s District 4 (Stanislaus County) representative, advocating for both IHSS workers and child care providers. She cares for five children in her family child care, having worked with children for over 15 years. But before Terry was a child care provider, she was an IHSS provider, and has since trained her two daughters take over her IHSS duties and take on her legacy of community service and commitment to her clients and her union.

Terry grew up in Laurel, Mississippi where she had an idyllic upbringing, spending weekdays in the city and weekends with her grandmother on her farm, learning southern cooking. She began caregiving at the young age of 16, helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Ellisville State School. She stayed on at Ellisville until, at the age of 33, she decided to move to Modesto, California.

When she became an IHSS provider in 1991, the pay was so low that Terry held several other jobs just to make ends meet: providing respite care at Valley Mountain Regional Center, working at Kmart, and cleaning the local hospital’s delivery ward. To address the issue of low provider wages directly, she joined the UDW bargaining team. There she found herself speaking out to lawmakers for the first time and arguing her case directly with county supervisors.

Before joining UDW Terry often hesitated to speak up. She lost her father at the age of 12; he was killed in a factory press, allegedly for going against his foreman. She joined UDW because she wanted to break out of poverty and stand up against the kind of repression her father had faced on the job. Her fellow union members taught her strength, to stand up for herself and her beliefs, and to not be scared to talk to anyone.

In 2018, Terry traveled to Memphis to honor one of her heroes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was killed in Memphis 50 years prior while supporting striking workers who were asking to be treated with basic dignity—a message that resonated deeply with Terry as someone who knows what it is like to stand up and fight back. “We all deserve dignity: providers, our clients, and the kids in our care,” she says. “It’s all about respect.”

Even though her work has changed, Terry is glad to be part of her union, no matter what. “UDW gives me the ability to help my fellow caregivers and child care providers. We support each other through the tough times, and celebrate our victories together,” Terry says. “It’s such a great experience to help others grow, just as others have helped me along the way.”

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

Being a member of UDW means being part of a family of over 140,000 IHSS and child care providers who have devoted our lives to caring for others. When our fellow members need us, we are there!

I am excited to announce that we are working with Aflac to offer UDW members three types of low-cost supplemental insurance: Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity insurance. These benefits pay cash directly to you or your beneficiary when you or a covered family member is hurt, seriously ill or hospitalized.

What does this benefit mean for UDW members? Supplemental insurance is additional coverage that you can use to help with the out-of-pocket expenses that come up when you are injured or sick.

Call (855) 615-5387 (English & Spanish) or (855) 385-2178 (Vietnamese) to speak to an Aflac Benefits Counselor to learn more.

Aflac coverage can help us when we need it most. I am proud of all my union brothers and sisters who helped make this new benefit possible. This is a great example of what we can win when we build our strength as a union!

As a union representing over 120,000 caregivers, it’s not news to us that the IHSS program has problems getting care to the people who need it. But a new report from the California State Auditor has shed new light on the specific details of the home care crisis—and given us a new tool to push for better pay and benefits.

According to the Auditor’s report, over 40,000 IHSS recipients go without care every month. The report also found that counties are not properly preparing for expected growth in the future. With the senior population set to double by 2030, that’s not just an oversight—it’s negligence.

The main reason the audit found that people are not getting the care they need is that IHSS pay is too low.

From the audit: “Recruiting a sufficient number of caregivers will be difficult because the job pays minimum or near-minimum wage, below a living wage in even the State’s most affordable counties.”

What does this mean for us? Think of the audit as a report card on IHSS and the counties and the state all failed. They know something has to change and are ready to listen to our ideas. So we have presented the legislature with proposals designed to make it more easier for counties to raise our wages.

“The California State Auditor’s report shows that the IHSS program is at the breaking point and only higher caregiver pay can save it,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “Leaving tens of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities uncared for every month is unacceptable and we all must demand immediate action from our elected officials. The proposals put forth by UDW caregivers lay out a clear path out of this crisis and toward a future where everyone has the care they need.”

Want to help us win our budget asks? Call the Governor’s office at 1-855-223-0687 or visit www.udwa.org/2021budget before May 14 to make your voice heard.

Last year as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified, so did something else: hate crimes against Asian Americans, and our elders in particular. Some non-Asian people wrongly blame our Asian community for the pandemic, while others are just plain hateful—but whatever the reason, these attacks must stop. Of the 140,000 IHSS and family child care providers we represent, almost 20% of us identify as AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islanders). This hate and violence not only puts our members at risk, it is antithetical to everything we stand for as a union.

As the elected leaders of UDW, many of us who are AAPI ourselves, we want our AAPI members to know we are here to support you and fight for you. To our AAPI allies who want to help stop anti-Asian hate, the most important thing is to see what is happening and acknowledge that it’s wrong. Listen to us—believe us—when we say we are hurting or scared. Our AAPI members should not suffer in silence. Engage with your union and your fellow UDW members to help break down racial barriers and be there for each other.

We must not let our communities be divided. An attack on a member of the AAPI community is an attack on all of us.

To report an anti-Asian hate crime, visit www.stopAAPIhate.org. To get help from your union, call 1-800-621-5016.

Taxes are due soon, and IHSS providers may qualify for a $600 or $1200 tax credit through the Golden State Stimulus. The deadline is May 17^th for providers who are eligible to file for this credit. Live-in providers whose wages are exempt from taxes may qualify by using their last paystub of the 2020 tax year which can be found on the Electronic Service portal.

Golden State Stimulus payments are being issued by the State of California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). More information about the Golden State stimulus can be found here.

Additionally, all IHSS providers can e-file their California taxes directly to the FTB by using CalFile.

For questions about the Golden State Stimulus or how to file your taxes, visit www.ftb.ca.gov or contact FTB directly at (800) 852-5711.

Last summer when the brutal murder of George Floyd sparked action and outrage across the globe, I said this could be a turning point if we let it be. There have been too many George Floyds over the decades, but the collective grief and anger over Floyd’s death—and the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery—were felt across continents.

Today’s guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin, the officer who murdered George Floyd, is the kind of justice that only happens when we all stand together and say “enough is enough”. It is not true justice, though. True justice would be George Floyd living and breathing. True justice would be all Black people freed from the fear that we could be killed at any moment. True justice would be a country that is accountable to slavery and the hundreds of years of oppression and systemic and structural racism that followed. True justice would be dismantling the existing system and building something new, something that allows all of us to live, to breathe, and to thrive.

Brothers and sisters, we are not there yet. In fact, we have a long, long way to go. But today’s verdict—along with the collective action we’ve seen in the wake of George Floyd’s death—is a reminder of why we do the work we do. UDW remains committed to this work, and to building a truly just world for all of us.

More than 15 years after the last change in UDW membership dues, UDW members have voted to approve a new dues structure that better reflects our priorities and goals for the future. Union members, staff, and volunteers counted the votes yesterday at UDW’s San Diego headquarters while union members from all over the state observed the count via Zoom. A final tally yielded 14,360 “yes” votes and 1,612 “no” votes. The new dues structure, which was proposed and approved by a committee of member leaders, means that each member’s dues will be calculated as a percentage of what they earn, rather than based on a tiered system. With a stronger foundation of resources, we are excited to build more power together in order to fight for what IHSS providers, our clients, and our families truly need.

Looking back at the past 15 years, it’s clear how far we’ve come as caregivers — in 2006, IHSS providers made an average of just $6.75 per hour. Today, that average wage has more than doubled to $14.61. In the same span of time, UDW has won overtime pay, paid sick days, direct deposit, and PPE for IHSS providers during the pandemic, in addition to protecting the IHSS program from cuts time and time again. When COVID-19 hit, the world saw the life-saving importance of our work as caregivers — now it’s time to prepare to win the respect and resources we deserve.

Under the new dues structure, we have committed to using our increased power in the fights that matter most to caregivers and our clients. Yesterday’s “yes” verdict means that we can put more resources toward fighting for higher wages, better access to health care, retirement security, a stronger IHSS program that’s safe from cuts, and statewide — not county-by-county — IHSS bargaining. Our shared past has shown us that no one can accomplish these goals alone. But together, we can make this future possible.

Click here to use our dues calculator tool and see an estimation of your new dues amount.

COVID-19 vaccine eligibility has expanded to include IHSS recipients aged 16 and older. Because of this, CDSS has authorized compensation for providers who accompany their clients to receive the vaccine. Providers will be able to claim up to two hours per vaccine, four hours total. If you are already authorized to take your client to appointments, you will just need to claim these hours under that on your timesheet. If you’re not, however, you will need to fill out this Claim Form and submit it to your local IHSS office. We also recommend sending a copy to your social worker for their records.

To request this payment, you should complete the form, have your client sign it, and submit it to the county IHSS office. Please be aware that your client’s maximum hours will not change, and any hours claimed through this process that would increase their hours above the maximum are not eligible for payment.

“For me, the vaccine is a matter of life.” Though UDW caregiver and county representative Beatriz Manjarrez is here at UDW’s San Diego Headquarters to get vaccinated, you can see her greeting new arrivals, sanitizing clipboards, and answering questions other members have about their vaccination forms. And that’s what today’s vaccine drive is about: union members helping union members. Manjarrez provides in-home care to her mother and her son, so being able to get the vaccine today brings her peace of mind — not just for herself, but for members of her family who have underlying conditions. “We are essential workers,” she explains. “We need to take care of ourselves, our families, our clients, and the whole community.”

The vaccination drive, running 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday, was made possible through a united effort across the entire labor community in San Diego. Working with the California Labor Federation and the Governor’s office, UDW was able to provide an estimated 3,000 vaccines to union workers and community allies. The event demonstrates how unions can act as a trusted partner in helping workers navigate the vaccination process. “Union members should have an accessible way to get these vaccines should they choose to do so,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “We wanted to be on the front end of this process — not only in educating our members on why it’s important to get the vaccine, but also providing a comfortable space where they can get vaccinated safely.”

As participants lined up to form socially-distanced rows outside, a unified crew of nurses worked quickly to set up their stations, preparing for the hundreds of union members who would be receiving the vaccine. UDW collaborated with the United Nurses Associations of California (UNAC) to ensure that the vaccines were administered safely and effectively. “I see this event as a great opportunity to help others,” said Annie Cherian, a retired UNAC nurse with over 40 years of experience. “There are so many people waiting for the vaccine and we have the responsibility to help.” That’s a common thread between the nurses who volunteered to make this event possible — a genuine desire to contribute to the health of our communities.

Although the pandemic isn’t over, events like these can provide hope of an eventual return to normalcy. “We should all be excited to get the vaccine,” said San Diego child care provider Tory Racine. “We care for the kids of essential workers, so getting the vaccine is a way for us to find a safer and more secure future.”

Working together in our union, we have been able to win so many important things for caregivers and our clients like paid sick days, overtime pay, training and free member benefits like IHSS advocacy and help with timesheets. These victories have helped many of us live better lives. But on January 1, 2021, one of our hardest-fought wins touched EVERY one of us: a pay raise for EVERY IHSS provider!

We did this in two ways: by organizing and winning an increase in the statewide minimum wage, and by bargaining at the county level and ensuring that minimum wage increases trigger an increase for all IHSS providers—even those whose pay is currently above minimum wage.

But while we can all celebrate the across-the-board IHSS pay raise this year, there are still too many of us living in counties where the elected officials refuse to respect us enough to work together to settle their IHSS contract. So we are working at the state level to ensure that the state budget gives counties the help they need to pay us what we deserve—and punishes those that don’t.

Elected officials like to say that caregivers are “inspiring” and “selfless”. Yes, we are those things. But we also have to pay our bills and feed our families. That’s why your union never stops fighting to raise your pay…and why you should never stop supporting your union!

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I attended via zoom this IHSS webinar presented by the San Diego Regional Center where I received new information on the policies and procedures for clients and caregivers.

I joined this conference call to discuss ballot propositions for the Executive Board to support, oppose or remain neutral on.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I attended this meeting of UDW elected leaders who make important decisions about our union’s budget.

I presided as Statewide President at this regular meeting of our union’s elected leadership.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

Joined the zoom call for the Communication Committee meeting conducted by Communications Committee Chair Camilla Bradford.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I attended this regularly scheduled meeting of our District 7 membership where I was able to share some information on AFSCME’s retiree program.

I attended this regularly scheduled meeting of our District 3 membership where I was able to share some information on AFSCME’s retiree program.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team One-on-One Meeting, San Diego, October 1

I met one-on-one meeting with CARA staff Susan Meyer in preparation for the CARA Regional Convention.

I conducted the CARA Regional Convention in San Diego where we were joined by special guests San Diego Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and key note speaker State Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins. we have elected leaders Assembly woman Lorena and BOS Nathan Fletcher, Assembly woman Shirley Weber and our key note speaker Toni Atkins, It was a successful convention with the participation of our San Diego local Board leaders and Imperial county members.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I attended this regular meeting of our District 2 members and shared with them information on the AFSCME retiree chapter for home care workers.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I attended this online training on using digital tools to help our members hosted by UDW’s IT department.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I attended this online training to learn how to use the phone system for our upcoming Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) election calls.

Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) calling to Minnesota, Iowa and California, October 12, 13 and 14

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I joined the UDW Executive Board and other union members for this online training to learn how to use the phone system for our election calls.

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

I joined other union members to help distribute food at the Paloma College in San Marcos

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

I met one-on-one meeting with CARA staff Susan Meyer in preparation for the CARA Regional Convention.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Invest Care in Now Webinar Online Preparation, October 26

I joined this webinar test call in preparation for the nationwide Invest Care Now Facebook Live event.

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Invest in Care Now Facebook Live Event, October 29

I joined this online panel to talk about the importance of long-term care policy worldwide.

Get-Out-the-Vote Calling to Minnesota, Iowa and California, October 29, 30, 31 and November 1 and 2

I joined UDW staff and member volunteers to make election calls in support of candidates who support our issues.

I joined other UDW members and our friends in the labor community to hear UDW Executive Director, Doug Moore, and others speak on the importance of the union vote.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I attended this meeting of the CARA CAT to represent our UDW members interests on that board.

I joined our District 7 members to talk about preparation for the upcoming Provider Appreciation event. I conducted the meeting with the approval of the local board due to lack of quorum.

I attended this presentation put on by the UDW Communications Department on how to become a more effective communicator.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails from my residence.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I presided over this meeting of UDW’s Finance Committee as we discussed issues related to our union’s fiscal business.

I attended this yearly Provider Appreciation Month event in honor of the work of District 7 caregivers.

The recent increase in hate and violence against Asian Americans across the country and right here in California is antithetical to everything we stand for as a union, and we will not be silent. That many of these crimes have been committed against elders is especially shameful. As Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director of UDW, we represent over 140,000 home caregivers and family child care providers. Almost 20 percent of our members identify as Asian American Pacific Islander (API). Any attack on a member of the API community, be it words or violence, is an attack on all of us.

Though the attacks over the past year are the direct result of racist rhetoric and hateful lies arising from the coronavirus pandemic, they represent a long history of anti-Asian racism in the United States deeply rooted in white supremacy. That some of these attacks have been perpetrated by people of color does not diminish their connection to this legacy. Indeed, it reinforces the long-standing tradition in this country of setting communities of color against each other to maintain a racist status quo.

But as leaders of both the Black and API communities, we know that we also have a long history of standing together to fight racism in all its forms. We can learn from the example of activists like Tamio Wakayama, a Japanese-Canadian man who was interned during the anti-Asian frenzies of World War II and went on to volunteer for Black civil rights during Freedom Summer and beyond. Or Muhammed Ali, who chose possible jail time over being sent to kill Vietnamese when he took a stand and said “No, I’m not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over.”

We must not let our communities become divided. We demand that our elected leaders take the elevated threat against the API community seriously and immediately address the toxic political culture and lies that are behind this increase in attacks. And we call on all our brothers and sisters of color to rise to this moment and protect each other and keep each other strong in our shared journey to justice.

-Doug Moore, UDW Executive Director
-Johanna Puno Hester, UDW Assistant Executive Director

Lack of planning and underpaying In-Home Supportive Services providers left vulnerable populations without 132 million hours of care over five-year period

SACRAMENTO – A report released yesterday by the California State Auditor found that the state and counties have failed to adequately plan for and fund the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, a crucial program that provides home care services to more than half a million low-income seniors and people with disabilities throughout California.

The report, requested by UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 and Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath in 2020, found that over a five-year period:

“This report paints a tragic and unconscionable picture of what’s happening to this state’s seniors and people with disabilities, but it’s nothing UDW members don’t already know,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “In nearly every county IHSS providers have struggled at the bargaining table for the smallest of wage and benefit increases while our neighbors and community members who need care suffer. This has to end.”

The report also found that IHSS provider wages, on average, are just 58% of what constitutes a living wage. Precise numbers vary across the state and the starkest contrasts are seen in counties like San Diego.

“I make just above minimum wage for the care I provide,” said UDW President and IHSS provider Editha Adams, who lives in San Diego County. “The cost of living here is over $24/hour. How am I supposed to provide for my family? How are we supposed to attract more caregivers to this job?”

The report stressed that the number of Californians who need care is only growing, and is expected to increase by 52% to 900,000 by 2030. Demographic shifts mean that there will be fewer family members available to provide unpaid care, and the need for qualified, well-paid caregivers will only increase. Meanwhile, the majority of California counties have transitioned to paying IHSS providers minimum wage, rather than higher wages.

“I’m in Kern County, where we haven’t seen a wage increase in five years,” said Yesenia Martinez, an IHSS provider who cares for a low-income senior in her community of Rosamand, CA. “We’re essential workers in a pandemic, and yet the county insists that they can’t pay us more. It’s demoralizing. We just want to make sure our clients are taken care of and that we can pay our bills and put food on the table for our families. That’s not too much to ask.”

The report also found that low-income seniors and people with disabilities who qualify for IHSS experience severe delays; it takes 72 days on average for their applications to be approved, and more than three months to be matched with an IHSS caregiver and begin receiving care.

“Counties are creating this care crisis by not adequately planning for or funding this program, and the State needs to hold them accountable while ensuring a funding structure that incentivizes a living wage for providers,” said Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath. “It’s up to all of us—the state, the counties, and lawmakers like me—to fix this. We need to invest in IHSS and the workers who make it happen, so that every Californian who needs long-term care can receive it.”

On February 9, Governor Gavin Newsom came to the UDW San Diego office to join a roundtable discussion hosted by our Executive Director Doug Moore. In an open discussion on the pandemic and its effects on our communities, we made sure the governor understood that the state needs to ensure that people like us and our families are top-of-mind as he and other elected leaders address the pandemic and its economic effects.

Executive Director Moore pushed Newsom to provide more vaccines and better access for the most vulnerable and most at risk such as IHSS and child care providers. While IHSS providers are included in the top tier of the state’s rollout plan, we know that getting an appointment can be difficult and we urged that the state to push for more vaccines. Newsom acknowledged that the early phase of the vaccine rollout hasn’t always been fair and promised that coming changes to how the vaccine is administered will help close that gap.

Newsom’s visit was a great opportunity for UDW and other local community leaders to make their concerns heard directly to Gov. Newsom and to influence him on the issues that matter most to UDW members and their communities. It also showed how building our union power through a strong and involved membership gives us a strong voice in state government.

Other guests at the UDW roundtable were Reverend Dr. Beth Johnson, Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and the Poor People’s Campaign, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, Chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, Pamela Gray Payton, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer, Vice President of Community Impact at the San Diego Foundation, and Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, Regional Policy Director at Alliance San Diego.

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

Starting January 1, all IHSS providers saw a boost to our wages thanks to the statewide minimum wage increase — but did you know that we were instrumental in winning the #fightfor15 in California? Nearly six years ago, UDW caregivers joined together with thousands of fast-food workers, adjunct professors, retail employees, and other underpaid workers to fight for a $15 minimum wage in CA — and a brighter future for our families, loved ones, and communities.

This fight wasn’t easy. The state of California didn’t want to meet our demands for a living wage. We mobilized, organized, and rallied for over a year and finally, SB 3 was signed into law, laying the path to the $15 minimum wage. And last year, when the state budget deficit threatened the 2021 wage increase, we fought to protect it—and won.

“We didn’t sit back and wait,” said Riverside County IHSS provider Kady Crick. “We fought for this! And now we’re seeing the fruits of our hard work.”

Get involved with UDW if you want to help us push for higher pay and better benefits statewide!

The COVID-pandemic hasn’t just been a health crisis, it’s been an economic crisis, too. But thanks to the work of UDW members, California won’t be balancing the budget by cutting IHSS or family child care. On January 8, Governor Gavin Newsom said he heard us and our union’s demand to protect both programs and committed to permanently restore the 7% reduction to IHSS hours that’s been on the books for almost a decade. Previous budgets have restored the cut on a year-by-year basis, but we’ve made it clear to the Governor that saving money by cutting care is not an option.

“Cutting care hours for seniors and people with disabilities has been a disgraceful chapter in California history,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “We look forward to closing it in partnership with the Newsom administration.”

Cuts could return in the Governor’s Budget Revise this spring, so UDW remains vigilant—but with no cuts currently on the table, our legislative work this year will focus on raising IHSS pay, extending unemployment insurance eligibility to parent and spouse IHSS providers, securing family child care businesses, dismantling the systemic racism that disproportionately affects us and our communities, and ensuring post-pandemic economic recovery plans include UDW members and our families.

What’s next? We’ll be calling on you to help make calls to lawmakers and the Governor to fight for these priorities and more. Call your local UDW office to get involved!

CCPU-UDW members support essential workers while struggling to stay afloat

By caring for the children of essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CCPU-UDW members not only play a critical role in our state’s economy: we’re keeping Californians safe, fed, healthy and connected.

But while elected leaders have recognized the importance of family child care during the pandemic, the work we do has gotten even more difficult. Child care providers have taken on new and expensive safety and sanitation protocols. We’ve had to hire extra workers. And we’ve taken on the stress of a totally new expectation: facilitating distance learning for the school-aged children in our care. The costs (hello, wi-fi upgrades!) and pressure are adding up, and at the same time many of us are also losing children because their parents are unemployed or working from home. Nearly 6,000 family child cares have closed since the beginning of the pandemic, and thousands more teeter on the brink.

Luckily, family child care providers won full union representation last summer and we have a seat at the table to make sure California’s child care system makes it through the pandemic… and comes out stronger than ever before.

In January we began bargaining with the state. It’s been hard, but we are not going to stop until we get:

Child care providers have always been the experts on how to fix California’s broken child care system. It has never been more important for the state to listen to providers.

“I’ve been doing child care for 18 years,” said Charlotte Neal, a CCPU-UDW member from Sacramento. “I love my job and the role I get to play in children’s lives. Working together, we must solve the child care crisis so that providers like me can keep doing it.”

We began our union over 40 years ago to better the lives of workers, our families and our communities. We knew that by providing care to seniors and people with disabilities we were not only improving our clients’ lives, we were making the world a better place. We helped each other navigate the IHSS program through advocacy and training. We built a base of power to advocate for victories that have changed what it means to be an IHSS caregiver in California. And, after a fifteen-year organizing campaign, we added 20,000 family child care providers to our union.

Through it all, we have been member-led and focused on justice. Now, for the first time in 15 years, UDW is updating our dues structure to better reflect our values of equality and our commitment to the future. Why a new structure and why now? Because caregivers have led the way as frontline heroes in the pandemic; we have proved what we are worth and we are ready to demand more. Your UDW Executive Board chose a new dues structure that ensures financial stability so our union can fight back against attacks on home care and win what we need.

Our updated dues structure is straightforward: instead of the old tiered system, dues will be 3.5% of monthly IHSS earnings with a $20 minimum and a $49 dollar maximum. The increase will be introduced gradually over four years. No one’s dues will increase more than $5/month each year and some members will actually see a decrease in dues. (Want to see how much you’ll pay? Visit udwa.org/myunion and use our handy dues calculator.)

This past year has been difficult, but our union rose to the challenge. Our work to protect seniors, people with disabilities, and children during a pandemic forced the state to finally recognize us as the essential, frontline workers we are. Now is the time to push for what we deserve: better pay, health care, retirement security. There’s never been a better time to be a member of UDW. Stay tuned and stay connected—there is a lot happening this year. Because this is our union and our future!

2020 required more compassion, strength and determination than any year in recent memory. As caregivers, we were better prepared than most to meet the challenges of this year—and as a union, we faced these challenges together. As we look back on 2020, we grieve for those we lost, give thanks for those that are still with us, and turn toward the future wiser, kinder, more resilient and ready to take on whatever 2021 has in store.

JANUARY

Introduced legislation to win unemployment insurance for parent and spouse IHSS providers

On January 24, Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager introduced our sponsored bill AB 1993, The Family Caregiver Economic Security Act. AB 1993 would extend Unemployment Insurance (UI) eligibility to IHSS providers who care for their spouse or child. Though AB 1993 would ultimately be vetoed by the governor, our AB 1993 campaign raised awareness of the unfair UI exclusion of parent and spouse providers and set the stage for us to right this wrong in 2021.

Our members in Kern County have not had a negotiated raise since 2014 and have been working on an expired contract since 2017. This year we said “enough!” and turned up the heat on the elected officials who refuse to do their job and protect the IHSS program in Kern. We started 2020 by showing up in force at the Kern County BOS meeting, demanding a contract that respects our work and protects our clients.

CCPU-UDW members across the state got together to complete the Mandated Reporter Training required for all family child care providers. Getting and maintaining a license to provide family child care in your home can be frustrating—it’s a lot easier when you have the support of other union members. Our shared CCPU-UPW training also allows our members to get to know each other and share ideas for the future of child care in California.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year showing care as a top priority for his administration. This pre-pandemic budget proposed extending the temporary restoration of the 7% reduction in IHSS until July 1, 2023. Though we were grateful for his support of our program, we continued to demand that the cut be removed permanently. Six months later, the governor tried (unsuccessfully, thanks to us) to reinstate the 7% cut due to the pandemic-created budget crisis.

FEBRUARY

Member meetings in February were a great chance to celebrate Black History Month and recommit to rejecting hate and oppression in all its forms. If our movement has taught us anything, it’s that we need to work together, fight together, and understand each other in order to make real change. As San Diego IHSS provider Kamela said about Black History Month at our February member meeting there: “We are here for the people who don’t have anything and need our help. And when we have their backs, the union has our back.”

History was made on February 5 when CCPU-UDW members filed for our child care union election. On a sunny day in Sacramento, family child care providers and our supporters marched from the state capitol to the Public Employment Relations Board. When we got there, we delivered 10,000 petition signatures to qualify for an election that would make CCPU the official union of family child care providers in California. For San Diego CCPU-UDW member Rahmo Abdi, the day was special not just because of what was accomplished, but also because of what it symbolized:

“Today was so special because this is our victory. We won, and all of us getting together, trying to show how we’re united and trying to make a statement … it’s a victory just being a part of it,” she said.

Our members in Kern brought attention to their contract fight with another rally at the Board of Supervisors there and the news took notice. Said Kern UDW member Teresa Swick: “We keep on fighting for it and fighting for it and they don’t listen. Well now it’s time to listen. We want higher raises and healthcare, and all the other things that come with it.”

Merced County UDW members scored a victory as they ratified a new contract that raised their wages to $13.60 an hour with raises of $14.60 effective January 1, 2021 and $15.60 effective January 1, 2022. The contract also includes $5,000 per year for supplies such as gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.

Our union was honored by the Peggy Browning Fund, which awards fellowships for students studying labor law. Accepting an award on UDW’s behalf, Executive Director Doug Moore inspired future law students by reminding everyone how domestic workers like us were excluded from labor laws written during the New Deal—and how we lifted ourselves up. “We have had to fight for everything,” Doug said. “We used the law to write ourselves back into the law.”

Butte County members demanded respect at a Board of Supervisors meeting there on February 25. Butte IHSS providers have been without a contract since 2014 and have not had a negotiated pay raise since 2014. Our members educated the BOS and community members on the long-term danger to the community of not investing in the IHSS community. Said Justin Meyers, who cares for his 32-year-old brother Teal: “Here in Butte County, care providers are only making minimum wage. It’s very hard to find someone outside of the family with the level of skills that are required for my brother’s level of care.”

COVID-19 became part of our lives in February as the virus began spreading worldwide. UDW’s first communications to members on COVID-19 were facts on basic safety precautions and reminders to avoid fear-based misinformation and stay focused on protecting our clients and families.

MARCH

Throughout the history of the labor movement, women have been a crucial driving force in the fight for worker’s rights. For Women’s History month, we highlighted the contributions of amazing women in labor history such as Dolores Huerta, Ai-Jen Poo and Rosina Tucker.

To make sure that our voices are heard in government, we prepared a voting guide for the 2020 election to let members know which candidates supported caregivers and our families. And to help get working Californians out to the polls, we rallied with our friends in the labor movement. UDW Executive Director and Labor Council President Doug Moore spoke at the San Diego Central Labor Council on the importance of the primary election: “Working Californians like UDW caregivers have needs that elected officials must face. We need opportunities. We need support. We need care. And we need justice. We need candidates that are champions on ALL the issues that keep working Californians from taking care of their families and living their dreams.”

On March 15, the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic set in as Governor Newsom asked that all Californians over the age of 65 and those living with chronic illnesses self-isolate in their homes. UDW put together a coronavirus resource page with the latest available information and resources and began procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and pushing the state to protect IHSS providers and clients.

To protect our members, our clients and UDW staff, we made our offices available by appointment only. Advocacy and timesheet trainings moved online.

On March 19 Governor Newsom issued a statewide shelter-in-place order. IHSS providers and family child care providers were named essential workers, allowing us to leave our homes in order to care for our clients and run our businesses.

On March 17, UDW hosted our first Facebook Live event to update IHSS providers on the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic. We were joined by a representative from the California Department of Social Services who answered questions on safety protocols and navigating IHSS during the crisis. On March 21 we held a teleconference for child care members to share the best information on providing child care and staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. And on March 25 and 26, we held three tele-townhalls—in English, Spanish and Vietnamese—to help our IHSS members during the pandemic. A doctor from Kaiser Permanente joined us to answer our medical concerns and our legislative and executive team gave out information on navigating the IHSS program during the pandemic.

As schools across the state shut down, child care providers became overwhelmed with the influx of children needing care or, for some providers, losing income. CCPU-UDW quickly organized and demanded the state come up with solutions for the providers we represent. Thanks to our work, Governor Newsom agreed to take steps to ensure that child care providers continued to be paid and wouldn’t have vital utilities shut off during this state of emergency.

Even though we are frontline workers, UDW members found ways to give back and help others while continuing our vital work protecting and caring for the clients and children in our care. UDW caregiver Camilla Bradford and her family made meals and shopped for those unable to do so themselves. Said Camilla: “I want to make sure our community of seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities are taken care of.”

Even in the midst of the widening pandemic, UDW remained committed to ensuring everyone in our communities participated in the 2020 Census. Because the census determines important things like where federal money goes and how many members of Congress California has, we continued our outreach to members to fill out their census forms and get counted.

APRIL

As the pandemic continued, UDW members stepped up to share their stories with news media and bring attention to the challenges IHSS providers and family child care providers face as frontline heroes.

Executive Vice President Astrid Zuniga, who cares for her son: “We’re in the most intimate situations. There is no social distancing in our jobs. None.”

San Diego family child care provider Miren Algorri: “We are running very low on cleaning, disinfectant, and sanitizing supplies. When I don’t have those supplies, then I will have to stop providing services.”

Kern County member Wymon Johnson, who cares for his nephew: “I know that we need to take precautions, and he gets sickly and we don’t know what it is. His immune system is compromised – so is he putting me in danger, or am I putting him in danger?”

San Diego family child care provider Gabriella Cisneros: “Trying to maintain everything sanitized, clean and safe for everyone involved has been a huge challenge and even scary. It’s really difficult to get out there and replenish because stuff isn’t available. By the time we get done here — we close our doors at 5 o’clock — there’s nothing left on the shelves.”

San Diego County member Nicanora Montenegro: “The most common concern of our members caring for non-family members is that most of them have lost their jobs. Now that people are in quarantine, most of the family members of their clients are now at home and they don’t want our providers to come to their house because of this quarantine.”

Butte County member Carnella Marks, who cares for her father-in-law: “We’re not getting the additional hours for the additional care since the virus outbreak. But we’re having to work continuously.”

San Diego caregiver Mary Courtney Sheldon, who cares for her sons: “We are front-line providers that were not thought about. It’s scary. It’s a lot more dangerous for clients. We know that many of them would not survive this. We have come out of pocket and been very creative to find disinfectant, and gloves, and masks.”

Sacramento family child care member Miriam Edwards, who has an autoimmune disease: “For me this moment is stressful, and I know the doctors tell me, ‘Don’t stress because that’s the worst thing for your autoimmune disease. But that’s the hardest thing to do is not to stress right now. I’ve sat back and, in ways, considered: ‘Should I just close my doors?’ But then it’s hard. It’s hard to say I’m going to close my doors on all these families that still need me.”

Kern County member Aurora Sanchez, who cares for her mother: “We are human beings and we need respect and dignity. Just because we don’t have a diploma, that doesn’t make us any different than what a professional doctor or nurse is doing. We are saving lives.”

The pandemic impacted our membership right away and many of us needed help with things like PPE, more hours for our clients, unemployment or sick leave and COVID health care. With lives at stake, our union took a proactive approach with our Reach Every Member campaign. Staff and member volunteers picked up the phones and made over 83,000 phone calls to check in with members and connected them with the resources and help they needed. Thousands of members received help and the staff and members who volunteered for the campaign reported having many meaningful conversations that strengthened the bonds of our union.

To address the specific needs of our members during the pandemic, we immediately pushed for an emergency relief package from the state including full unemployment benefits, increased pay, added paid sick time, provide protective gear, and back up care for clients whose providers contract the virus.

Before the COVID-19 epidemic, IHSS providers earned up to two days of sick leave per year. With the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government finally realized that sick caregivers, just like all workers, need more than that. Now, thanks to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) IHSS providers can get up to eighty hours (two weeks) of emergency paid sick leave when they are unable to work due to COVID-19.

Local member leaders and staff held PPE distributions in offices across the state as UDW stepped in to provide needed pandemic supplies to caregivers when no one else would. Masked-up and socially distant, our drive-through events have been some of our only contact with each other. We are all looking forward to the day when we can crowd into our union halls again!

San Diego members joined our friends in the labor community to feed 1,000 families in need during a food drive there on April 27. Said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore: “This is what we mean when we say ‘union strong’. Thank you to everyone who came out to help, we could not have done this without you!”

Our members in Stanislaus County ratified a new contract that included a raise to $13.50 an hour with raises to $14.50 on January 1, 2021, and $15.50 on January 1, 2022. The contract also included added money for trainings and $10,000 per year for supplies.

Direct payments from the federal government helped many of us early in the pandemic but, because many low-income people like caregivers don’t file taxes regularly, the checks didn’t come automatically. UDW did the research to find out what our members needed to do to make sure they got their checks as well as how to watch out for scams and misinformation relating to coronavirus relief.

We also held our second Facebook Live event with UDW Legislative Director Kristina Bas Hamilton who was joined by Debbie Thomson and Jennifer Troia from the California Department of Social Services to answer member questions about how the IHSS program is handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sutter County members ratified a new contract that included a raise to $13.40 an hour with additional raises to $14.40 on January 1, 2021, and $15.40 on January 1, 2022. The contract also included the creation of a Dental and Vision Plan as well as $2,500 annually for supplies.

MAY

UDW joined millions of workers across the country to demand that Congress “Fund the Frontlines” and support essential workers like health care workers, first responders and home care workers who are risking our lives under the most difficult possible conditions.

UDW also expanded our member advocacy to include helping members who became ill with COVID and needed help applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), paid sick leave, and more. We created a page to help navigate the UI and PUA programs so members who lost hours or were no longer able to care for their clients didn’t lose all of their income.

UDW member Nicanora Montenegro and Executive Director Doug Moore spoke at the San Diego Mayor’s daily press briefing to highlight the essential and life-saving work being done by caregivers across the state and to urge that counties provide more PPE to IHSS providers.

UDW Assistant Executive Director Johanna Puno Hester addressed our child care providers by video to celebrate Child Care Provider Appreciation Day and thank them for all they do to keep working families safe and secure.

In his May Revise budget announcement, Governor Newsom responded to the pandemic-related budget deficit by going back on his January promise not to cut IHSS hours. Said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore: “Now is not the time to drain resources from a critical program that is already struggling to meet the growing need for care in a state with a rapidly aging population.” Newsom also announced a proposed 10% cut to child care subsidy rates.

Our union went all in to fight back against Governor Newsom’s proposed cuts. Our Executive Board sent a letter to legislators and we organized our members statewide to contact their legislators and call in to budget committee hearings with a simple message: You can’t cut services to those most impacted by the pandemic.

In the midst of a worldwide pandemic and threats to cut our vital programs, UDW members were left devastated and reeling when Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd on May 25. While video of the murder was traumatic and painful, it also re-ignited a passion to end racism and violence against people of color once and for all in our country. UDW members spoke out at rallies and demonstrations across the state, and UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said in his statement on the murder: “This can be a turning point if we let it be. But we need to have courage. Our leaders need to have courage to change policy and to address the disparate treatment of Black people in this country.”

Our bill to expand unemployment insurance to parent and spouse IHSS providers gained momentum with a blog post by the bill’s author, Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager. In it, Kamlager describes the story of UDW member Christine Cruikshank, whose family was financially devastated when her daughter was hospitalized and her IHSS pay was cut. Kamlager wrote: “Now is the time to elevate the essential work that IHSS providers and scores of other Californians do every day behind the scenes. We should use this crisis as an opportunity to patch the holes in our social safety net to ensure that California is a place where ALL workers are treated with dignity and respect, in times of global crisis and in normal times, too.”

JUNE

Placer County members ratified a new contract that included a raise to $13.40 an hour and raises of $14.40 on January 1, 2021 and $15.40 on January 1, 2022. The contract also included money for a Dental and Vision plan and $10,000 per year for PPE such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.

As the 7% cut to IHSS hours came closer to becoming reality, we intensified our efforts to stop it and made a socially-distanced video for lawmakers that featured our members explaining how important IHSS is to their clients—and how every hour of care counts. Thanks to the work of UDW members, the California State Senate and Assembly voted NOT to include a 7% cut to IHSS hours in the state budget. But we still needed Governor Newsom to reject the cut, too, so we turned up the heat in the last weeks before the budget deadline.

We won! The governor approved a 2020-2021 budget that protected care for seniors and people with disabilities. But the fact that the governor had proposed it in the first place meant we must always stay strong to protect care. Said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore: “Stopping this cut to IHSS hours was the result of UDW’s hard work and the dedication of our members to protecting their clients. It’s a huge victory for UDW caregivers. But we can never get comfortable when it comes to protecting the IHSS program; we need to keep our membership strong, united and vigilant to fight new threats when they come.”

Thanks to the work of CCPU, family child care providers who care for children on subsidy programs were spared from cuts in the state budget. Proving that’s what good for our members is good for the children they care for too, Keisha Nzewi, director of public policy for the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network said: “It’s absolutely wonderful that these cuts were rejected. To a lot of providers that I talked to, they felt like a 10% cut would mean they would have to cut their assistants or they wouldn’t be able to pay their mortgage or their rent. Just the thought of that was a lot to carry during this time.”

UDW caregiver Camilla Bradford wrote an op-ed for the Los Angeles Sentinel to point out that domestic workers and women of color have always been on the frontlines, COVID-19 just made it clear. “Historically, domestic workers have been marginalized and excluded from worker protections specifically because it was work usually done by women of color,” Camilla wrote. “It’s a power dynamic that traces back to slave times when Black women were forced to work for slave owners–not only as cooks and housekeepers, but as caregivers for their family members.”

This day—which marks the end of slavery—took on extra meaning in light of the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on people of color. To mark the day, UDW members took part in commemorations statewide and recommitted ourselves to fighting for dignity, safety, and respect for Black care workers and those they care for and honoring Black life, freedom and joy.

As our historic election on union representation for family child care providers drew near, ballots began arriving in the mail for CCPU-UDW members. Solano member Allison Davis told the Solano Republic about our organizing effort: “The union is a huge step to get child care recognized as an essential business… it just builds up child care and will bring in more people into child care with better wages and benefits.”

JULY

By July it became clear that California’s Latino communities were the hardest hit by the pandemic—something UDW’s member outreach and case tracking confirmed. Likely the result of so many Latino Californians being frontline workers, Governor Newsom said: “These are the heroes of the front lines, the essential workers that we relied on at the beginning of this pandemic to keep us fed and to take care of our most acute needs.” As California increased its outreach to Latino communities, UDW helped impacted caregiver families find medical and financial assistance. We also held another Telephone Town Hall on July 10 to discuss our victory on the 7% cut to IHSS hours and update members on COVID-19.

The ongoing pandemic changed the way UDW members helped each other get help with timesheets and IHSS advocacy, but we were still there for each other when it came to help with navigating IHSS. UDW offices were open for appointments and staff held online advocacy workshops. And our app, IHSS help, became more critical than ever in making sure IHSS worked for providers and clients.

We joined the growing voices of working families statewide demanding that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes and that the state stop recommending cuts that hurt the most marginalized and underfunded communities. At a rally in San Diego to support Proposition 15, which would close a loophole for wealthy property owners, CCPU-UDW member Miren Algorri said: “This tax would help those families who need quality child care, affordable child care, so we are supporting the children. This is not about the rich, this is about the children, the future, not only of this community, but of California, the nation.”

In normal (non-pandemic) years, we join with other disability rights activists at the Capitol to ensure the legislature acts in the interest of seniors and people with disabilities. This year the event went online and we used it as an opportunity to raise awareness of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When the ADA was signed 30 years ago, it was the biggest anti-discrimination change in our country since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In July, we joined our friends at the Disability Action Coalition to mark the ADA’s anniversary and celebrate its significance in our lives and the lives of our clients.

It was a victory almost 20 years in the making: our union election showed that 97% of child care providers voted yes to be represented by our union, CCPU. Together we began an exciting new chapter of our union’s story: representing family child care providers and helping to fix California’s broken child care system. In the middle of a very difficult year for child care providers, this victory was a welcome ray of hope.

Said Alicia Turner, a CCPU-UDW member from Stanislaus County: “We are paving the way for social and economic justice. This victory is proof that when women, and women of color lead a movement, it can and will make history, and we did just that.”

When the Governor Newsom announced his proposed budget, we demanded that the governor not delay the 2021 minimum wage increase that we had fought for in 2016. The law allows the governor to delay the scheduled yearly raises, which some were urging Newsom to do to address the pandemic-caused budget shortfall. But you can’t build an economic recovery if workers can’t pay their bills, so we were grateful when Newsom formally announced that on January 1, the minimum wage would increase to $14.00 statewide. This also ensured that all UDW contracts tied to the minimum wage increase would move forward on January 1 as well.

AUGUST

In August, UDW signed on as co-sponsors to AB 345, a law that would require oil and gas drilling to be set back a minimum distance from sensitive locations like hospitals and child care facilities. Our work on environmental justice reflects that the fight for clean air and water is in reality a fight for our members’ lives—especially in oil and gas producing counties like Kern. Said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore “Last year, the American Lung Association named [Kern County’s] largest city, Bakersfield, as the city with the worst air quality in America. Our members are low-income women and people of color and we are tired of our communities being the first choice for environmental hazards. We support AB 345 because the people who breathe the air and drink the water should have a say in where oil and gas extraction sites are located.”

Before the Voting Rights Act was signed on August 6, 1965, many people of color were prevented from exercising our constitutional right to participate in elections. To celebrate the 55^th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we urged all members to register to vote before August 6, the anniversary of when the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, breaking down legal barriers the October 19 deadline.

California’s newest union leapt into action in August to call attention to the worsening child care crisis. In July alone, over 1,000 family child cares closed their doors due to COVID-19, bringing the total to over 4,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. As the state’s officially certified child care union, we urged the state to take immediate action to extend and implement vital COVID-19 protections to stabilize family child care.

We continued our anti-racism work in August, talking to each other and looking for ways to be leaders on racial justice in our communities. Said Wymon Johnson, a UDW caregiver in Kern County: “We are now in a time of significant social change; that scares a lot of people who are used to the divisiveness and don’t want change. But we can’t let them keep us divided. There is power in our unity. Fighting for racial justice is a form of caregiving. It starts with love.”

SEPTEMBER

Thanks to the hard work of UDW members, our bill to extend unemployment insurance to parent and spouse IHSS providers was passed by the California State Senate and Assembly in September and sent to the Governor’s desk. Our members went all-out to get the governor to sign AB 1993, calling his office, sending emails, and posting selfies of ourselves and our clients to his Facebook page. In an Op-Ed for CalMatters, UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said: “AB 1993 is making its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. If he truly believes in a California for all, I urge him to sign it. For the 122,240 parent and spouse providers who take on IHSS care, it is a labor of love – but make no mistake, it is labor and deserves the rights and protections of any other job.”

CCPU-UDW’s Miren Algorri honored in national Labor Day essential worker celebration

On Sunday, September 6, labor and social justice groups across the country came together online to watch performances, hear stories, and honor the lives of working people who continue to sacrifice daily for our nation’s safety and wellbeing. CCPU-UDW member Miren Algorri was invited to take part and spoke for all of us when she said: “It’s not enough to praise essential workers—we’ve got to show up and fight for their rights and protections.” Miren also received Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez’ Unsung Hero Award.

State Senator Tom Umberg presented our own Ly Nguyen with the Woman of the Year award for the 34th Senate District. Said Umberg: “I am proud to recognize Ly for the amazing determination she has as she fights for worker’s rights and social justice. Ly Nguyen takes care of those in need, has dedicated her life to the advancement of Asian Pacific American worker rights, immigrant rights, and civil rights.”

On the last day for the governor to sign or veto bills for the year, Newsom vetoed AB 1993 and denied unemployment insurance eligibility to parent and spouse IHSS providers. UDW Executive Director Doug Moore expressed our collective disappointment in a public statement: “We expected Governor Newsom to have the courage to lead by example and take action to break down systemic racism and sexism by signing AB 1993. Instead he chose to leave caregivers behind.”

Though AB 1993 was ultimately vetoed, the months of action and commitment our members put forth were not in vain; the governor’s veto message affirmed that excluding parent and spouse IHSS providers from unemployment insurance is discriminatory and opened the door to fixing the issue in 2021 budget negotiations.

OCTOBER

Madera County members ratified a new contract that included a raise to $14.50 an hour with an additional raise to $15.50 on January 1, 2022. The contract also included $6,800 per year for supplies such as gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.

CCPU and 77 other organizations sent a letter to Governor Newsom, Senate pro-Tempore Atkins, and Speaker Rendon to demand that the state of California take action to end California’s child care crisis.

Women and people of color still face discrimination in hiring, employment, and education. That’s why UDW joined our friends in labor to support Proposition 16, which would have repealed California’s ban on affirmative action. Though Prop. 16 ultimately failed, the movement for justice is growing and UDW remains committed to fighting discrimination in all its forms.

By October, more than 5,600 child care providers in California had closed their doors because of the pandemic. On October 15, we rallied in San Diego to call attention to the crisis, especially the new challenge providers face facilitating distance learning for kids in their care. Said Johanna Puno Hestor, UDW Assistant Executive Director and Co-Chair of CCPU: “Family child care providers aren’t paid for the extra work. But they have to do it so parents can go to their jobs. It’s an impossible situation. And Governor Newsom and the rest of our elected leaders are ignoring it.”

October 27 in San Diego, family child care providers and our allies gathered for a candlelight vigilremembering child care providers lost to COVID-19 and honoring the providers who were forced to close their doors since the pandemic began.

UDW made sure members knew that October 19 was the last day to register to vote in California. We also prepared voter guides to help members know what candidates and propositions would help—or hurt—caregivers and our families. We set a goal of 7,000 new UDW voter registrations and, by the end of the registration period, successfully reached that goal—and surpassed it by 5,489!

NOVEMBER

After a challenging year, it was finally election day. In the days and weeks leading up to the big day, UDW members and staff made 166,834 calls supporting our issues and candidates. We also sent 15,195 text messages. Unlike other years where much of our election work would be door-to-door, in 2020 we moved online, holding dozens of Zoom calls to give our members the opportunity to interact with candidates and ask them questions.

As election returns came in in the days following the election, it was clear that California’s record-high voter turnout led to many wins for caregivers and our communities. In the counties where we have members, 17 of 25 UDW-endorsed State Assembly candidates and 7 of 9 UDW-endorsed State Senate candidates won their races. And, in a historic win in San Diego, the Board of Supervisors had its first pro-caregiver majority. Said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore: “Moving forward, we expect the Board to prioritize working families and our issues, and to work toward a San Diego County where everyone has equal protections and opportunities.”

In a year like no other, we celebrated a Provider Appreciation Month like no other. Instead of the gatherings and in-person celebrations that have marked past Novembers for our union, we hosted Zoom parties and drive-through Turkey giveaways. It was different, for sure, but one thing remained the same: our support of each other as fellow caregivers in our mission to help our clients live the best lives possible.

In a big win for family child care providers, Stage 1 CalWORKs stipends began being dispersed in November. Funded by the CAREs Act, state officials set stipend rates based on the number of subsidized children providers cared for in July and weighted by county November 18. The win was thanks to the CCPU-UDW members who fought to make our voices were heard during the budget process—and a testament to the power of having union representation. At the same time, CCPU filed an unfair practice charge (ULP) against the State of California, which has refused to work with providers as required by law as the pandemic upended their industry. Said Sacramento CCPU-UDW member Charlotte Neal: “Child care providers were barely getting by before the pandemic. Now, we’re not getting by at all…We need action from the state. And we need it now.”

Two years ago, the federal government tried to tell caregivers what we can and can’t do with our own paychecks. They introduced a new rule to make it harder for home care workers to pay our union dues and other monthly automatic deductions, like health insurance. They thought that if our unions couldn’t collect dues, they could weaken our collective power, but we fought back—and in November, we successfully blocked the rule and kept our paycheck rights. Said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who filed the lawsuit on our behalf: “Fortunately, the court saw through the administration’s faulty posturing and sent them packing. This ruling is a victory for our state and for the collective bargaining rights of home care workers who play a vital role in our health care system.”

Our Executive Director Doug Moore was invited by Capitol Weekly to sit down for a long talk on what matters to our members. Listen to the podcast here.

DECEMBER

The dire warnings of public health experts came true with many Californians travelling for Thanksgiving and gathering without masks or distancing. The post-Thanksgiving surge in COVID-19 infections caused a spike in cases that filled up hospitals statewide and led to new shutdowns and new daily records for deaths.

The COVID vaccine finally arrived but, at least in the first few months, there wouldn’t be enough for everyone. UDW worked with the state to ensure that home care workers and child care providers were among the essential workers allowed early access to the vaccine. As of the end of the year, very few of us had been vaccinated, but the arrival of the vaccine was like a light at the end of a very long, dark tunnel.

The virus may have changed the way we celebrated this year, but it didn’t change what we feel about each other and the work we do as caregivers. And as we found new ways to bond with love ones and honor our traditions, we all had one eye on December 2021 when, hopefully, we would all be able to gather again safely.

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021

We’re happy for 2020 to be over, but the change in calendars isn’t an automatic reset on this challenging year; we will need to work to make 2021 a better year. For UDW and CCPU-UDW, that work will mean taking the lessons we learned as essential workers in a pandemic and using them to push for what we want: a future where everyone has the right to affordable, quality long-term care and childcare—and every family has what they need to live a happy, healthy life.

You can help shape 2021 for our union and our communities. Get involved! Call your local UDW office and find out ways that you can make 2021 a great year for caregivers and those we care for.

Which lawmakers were in solidarity with seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, and working families in 2020?

During 2020, IHSS caregivers and family child care providers served heroically as frontline, essential workers during a pandemic. Yet we once again had to defend IHSS from budget cuts and saw thousands of child cares close due to the pandemic. More than ever, we needed champions in state government that saw our value and helped us stay safe and do our work. Every year, UDW scores the California legislature and the governor on their support of policies that impact our members. This year, those scores not only show which of our lawmakers championed care, but which ones defended us, our clients, and our communities when it really mattered.

One of the most powerful ways UDW helps caregivers and child care providers is by giving us a voice at the California State Capitol. When the pandemic caused a $54 billion dollar shortfall, Governor Newsom put out a budget with a 7 percent cut to IHSS hours, and a 10 percent cut to child care subsidies. That’s unacceptable—so UDW members went into action and we stopped the cuts from happening!

We have many legislative priorities for next year that will help home care and child care providers and our families. Stay in touch with your local UDW office to find out ways you can get involved.

Every November, we celebrate Home Care Provider Appreciation Month with dinners and celebrations in counties throughout the state. This year is, of course, very different. With alternate plans including drive through giveaways and Zoom celebrations, UDW will always find a way to celebrate the critical work that caregivers do. But we also want to thank our members for all the times you have answered the call to go above and beyond this year. Whether it was turning out for a rally, or helping hand out PPE outside your local UDW office, or just staying home and keeping your client safe: you made a difference. And your union appreciates YOU!

Call your local office to find out about Home Care Provider Appreciation events near you!

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

For Black women, generations of inequality in society and in the economy have created extra responsibilities at work and at home—with fewer opportunities for advancement or relief. And, when Black women hit a certain age, they often find themselves overwhelmed with caring for both their children and aging parents.

Of course, as caregivers many of us know these challenges all too well. So why focus specifically on the experiences of Black women caught up in this delicate juggling act? Because they’re disproportionately impacted: African Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s or dementia and Black families lost one-half of their wealth during the housing crisis in the Great Recession. And, according to statistics from the Family Caregiver Alliance, African American family caregivers start younger, spend more hours caring for family, and are more likely to be “sandwiched” caring for children and aging parents at the same time. You can see why many Black women in their 30s, 40s and 50s are stretched thin.

So what can we all do to support Black women who are caregivers? According to UDW member Alane Quien, who at one point was raising three grandchildren while also caring for her mother, validating African American women’s experiences is key.

“When you hear us describing the stresses we face, don’t write it off as just complaining,” says Alane. “Caregiving is hard for all of us, but Black women caregivers are playing on a different field. Recognizing that and being sensitive to it can actually be really supportive.”

Did you know UDW is bigger and more powerful now than we’ve ever been before? It’s true! Despite the hardships of 2020, we’ve added members and increased our influence throughout the state. Last summer, we added family child care providers in 39 counties to our union family. UDW and CCPU-UDW now represents over 140,000 care providers in California. More members equal more power!

What does this mean for you? It means a future with more pay and better access to health care, more member benefits, and more respect for the important lifesaving work we do.

Since we founded our union four decades ago, we have worked to protect IHSS and make life better for working families like ours. Together, we have saved the IHSS program and stopped politicians when they tried to cut IHSS hours or our pay. We also helped raise the minimum wage and push for successful changes that promoted equality and justice for every Californian.

But we are just getting started. With our new member power, we are going to keep going until we, along with our clients, families and communities, have everything we need to prosper and enjoy life in California. Statewide contract bargaining for IHSS providers, health care for everyone, affordable, high-quality child care for all, real reforms to IHSS and long-term care: all of it is in our reach. But we need you to stay involved! Make sure your membership is up to date and stay tuned for all the exciting things we are going to accomplish together.

“The new and historic Democratic majority on the San Diego Board of Supervisors shows what happens when workers get together to make their voices heard. By spearheading the effort to pass term limits in 2010, UDW members and our partners in labor built a bridge to a future where entrenched corporate interests have less influence in our city and our government is more representative of the people it serves. Moving forward, we expect the Board to prioritize working families and our issues, and to work toward a San Diego County where everyone has equal protections and opportunities.”

Find out which propositions will help UDW members—and which ones will harm us and our communities.

Stem cell research may hold the key to promising treatments for many diseases such as Alzheimer’s, HIV/AIDS, stroke, diabetes and cancer. This proposition would raise money for the California institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and dedicate $1.5 billion toward research and therapy for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and other brain and central nervous system conditions that impact many of IHSS clients.

Our union has endorsed Proposition 15 and is actively campaigning for it because it would inject much-needed money into our local communities and schools. Proposition 15 closes a loophole that has been allowing big corporate landowners from avoiding the taxes they should owe. Properties valued less than $3 million dollars, homeowners, renters, small businesses and agricultural land would not be affected.

Systemic discrimination is real, and UDW has joined other people who oppose discrimination in endorsing Proposition 16. This proposition would reverse the ban on equal opportunity policies, such as affirmative action, so that elected leaders can provide good jobs, better wages and access to better schools for all Californians.

Everyone deserves the right to a second chance and every American deserves the right to participate in our democracy. Proposition 17 would act on our core constitutional values by restoring voting rights to nearly 50,000 Californians who have completed their time in prison but are still on parole. California would become the 18th state to allow individuals on parole to participate in elections if passed.

Younger Californians are emerging as important voices shaping our future and should be supported as they participate in our democracy. Proposition 18 would allow 17-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the next general election to vote in the primary election and in any special elections preceding the general. This will help emerging voters advocate for themselves and their generation as well as instill the habit of regular voting.

Many of our members and clients would benefit from this proposition that would help shift the property tax burden from seniors and people with disabilities to people who use their land for commercial purposes. If this measure passes, homeowners over the age of 55 years old would be eligible for property tax savings if they move. At the same time, it would lessen the property tax breaks for people who inherit land that they then use for rental property.

The United States already has the highest incarceration rates in the world, and people of color are disproportionately represented in our prison and jail populations. Mass incarceration is breaking our state budgets and keeping us from building stronger communities. We need to be looking for alternatives to prison for low-level crimes and expanding parole for people who have served their time. This proposition wants to take us backward by increasing sentences and making parole harder to qualify for and complete.

California renters already pay 50 percent more for housing than renters in other states. In some parts of the state, rent is more than double the nation average. The high cost of housing is making it harder and harder for working families to find safe, affordable housing will, at the same time, pushing lower-income Californians into homelessness. Proposition 21 would give local governments tools to enact common-sense rent control measures if they are appropriate for their region.

Wealthy “gig” economy companies like Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash have made billions by repackaging a very old business strategy: not paying workers a fair wage. Now, even after multiple court rulings have ordered them to pay their workers minimum wage and provide the protections that any other worker would get, these businesses have shown they would rather spend hundreds of millions of dollars than pay minimum wage like any other business. If Proposition 22 succeeds, it will open the gates for various other companies to follow this type of business model which is incredibly dangerous for our low to middle class workers.

Our union was there for IHSS provider and UDW member Traci Getsinger-Elam of Oceanside when she needed more IHSS hours for her son, Jared. So when her oldest son Jeremiah got accepted at UC San Diego, she reached out for help again—and UDW connected her to the organizations in her area offering scholarships for students from working families like ours.

Now, we are pleased to announce that Jeremiah Getsinger is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship from the John S. Lyons Foundation! Jeremiah is majoring in Electrical Engineering at UCSD and the scholarship is a much-needed—and much deserved—helping hand for Jeremiah and his family.

The John S. Lyons Foundation, known as the JOHNS, was founded 30 years ago in memory of the late Johnny Lyons, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 36 in San Diego. Lyons was a very civic-minded leader who believed strongly in the ideal that organized labor should be committed to the communities we live in.

Jeremiah is a great example of that ideal. A 2020 graduate of Rancho Buena Vista’s challenging International Baccalaureate program, Jeremiah has enough college course credits to begin UCSD this fall as a sophomore. But along with his demanding studies and time spent exploring his interests in science and technology, Jeremiah also had the added responsibilities of growing up in an IHSS family. Helping his mother care for his younger brother has long been a part of his life, and his mother says that added responsibility has given him a maturity beyond his years that will serve him well in college and beyond.

And, like many siblings in IHSS families, Jeremiah has learned empathy from caregiving.

“He’s always helping out his friends,” Traci says, explaining that caring for his brother helped Jeremiah learn not to overreact to troubling behavior without finding out what’s behind it.

“He’ll say ‘maybe they are having a hard time’. He has a high tolerance for other kids’ challenges. He can always see the other side.”

Congratulations, Jeremiah! Our UDW entire family wishes you—and all our students navigating this challenging school year—the very best.

If you would like to learn more about community resources for students, get involved in your union! Call 1-800-621-5016 to find your county and learn more about what UDW can do for you and your family.

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

Don’t let “pandemic fatigue” make you drop your guard. The coronavirus is still spreading in our communities and is still a deadly threat. Take control of your life and your future during this pandemic by maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols.

Have you tested positive for COVID-19? Our union can help. Please call us at 1-800-621-5016 so we can help you apply for paid sick leave, disability, and family medical leave.

When a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd on May 25, it wasn’t the first time a white man acting on behalf of the government asphyxiated an unarmed Black man. Thousands of African-Americans were killed, often by public hangings, in the period after the Civil War and into the late 1960s.

We don’t like to talk about the ugly parts of our history, but we must. For Black people in America, lynchings never really stopped, they just took the form of police brutality. When the video of George Floyd’s murder went viral, it didn’t touch a nerve because it was something new, it touched a nerve because, for Black people, this kind of terror is very, very old.

UDW is a union that is, by majority, women and people of color. People look to us to lead on issues of equality and we do: we take bold stands on issues of social justice because we are made up of thousands of people who have been made to feel less than those in power in our country.

Last year, we took a stand against police brutality by co-sponsoring AB 392, a law that gave California one of the most restrictive police use-of-force laws in the country. This year we are co-sponsoring AB 2054, which will pave the way for communities to change the way we respond to emergencies—many situations, for example, may be better handled by mental health professionals and social services workers than police.

Our legislative work is important. But helping to build a racially just society will take more than passing police reforms: it will take all of us connecting to our shared humanity to create real equality.

“We can make policies, we can make laws, and they are effective up to a point,” said UDW member and District 6 Chair William Reed, who contributes to ending racism in his community by teaching courses on racial healing at local colleges. “But they will be ineffective unless we change what’s in people’s hearts.”

Changing people’s hearts means employing the tools caregivers use every day: empathy and compassion.

“When you care for another human, your heart leads the way,” said Wymon Johnson, a UDW member in Bakersfield. “We are now in a time of significant social change; that scares a lot of people who are used to the divisiveness and don’t want change. But we can’t let them keep us divided. There is power in our unity. Fighting for racial justice is a form of caregiving. It starts with love.”

Want to get involved with our Civil & Human Rights Council? Call your local office to learn more.

Coronavirus. Racial injustice. A federal government in disarray. Years from now, people will ask “What was the summer of 2020 like? What did you do?”

For UDW members, the answer will be easy: we helped others! As caregivers, compassion is our superpower. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

We are living through a difficult time. Hundreds of thousands of people have died of COVID-19 worldwide and every community has been impacted—some more than others. UDW members have been on the front lines of this crisis, providing care to seniors and people with disabilities and early education for the children of frontline workers.

Our biggest fight so far during this pandemic has been a sadly familiar challenge—cuts to IHSS. Facing a $54 billion budget shortfall, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed drastic cuts to many programs the people in our care rely on, including a 7% across-the-board cut to IHSS hours. Many of us lived through the last 7% cut, and we weren’t about to go through it again.

UDW immediately went to work at every level to make sure that cut didn’t happen. Our efforts, and our solidarity as a union, paid off! The legislature rejected the cut and came up with a new plan. On June 29, Governor Newsom signed a new budget that will keep our IHSS hours safe during this economic downturn.

We also protected care for another important group: California’s children. After seventeen years of organizing work, our child care members in California Child Care Providers United (CCPU-UDW) won our election to represent California’s family child care providers! This win is a huge victory for ALL working families. Union representation means CCPU-UDW can help providers fight for better reimbursement rates and a bigger say in how to fix our state’s broken child care system. And it means home care and child care providers can use our combined strength to work toward a world where everyone has the care they need.

My union family, I hope this summer finds you well. I hope your clients and families are well-cared for. And I hope, during these hard times, you look to the strength and compassion of your fellow caregivers to get you through. We will always be here for you!

Caregiver Union Joins Broad-Based Coalition to Fight Oil and Gas Pollution in California

SACRAMENTO—United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union representing over 118,000 home care workers in California, stepped up its commitment to environmental justice by signing on as co-sponsors of AB 345 this week, a bill that would keep oil and gas extraction sites away from sensitive communities.

Though California leads the world on many environmental issues, it also ranks among the top five oil producing states and has numerous industrial oil operations sited dangerously close to homes, schools, and healthcare and childcare facilities. Oil production sites use and emit fine and ultra-fine particulate matter, hydrogen sulfide and known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors such as benzene and formaldehyde. Proximity to oil development causes and contributes to health effects such as headaches, upper respiratory illness, nausea, nosebleeds, increased cancer risk, and infertility. Those most likely to live near an oil extraction site in California are also those likely to be most negatively impacted: low-income families and families of color.

Passing AB 345 would put California on a path to creating common-sense health and safety buffers between oil extraction sites, the pollutants they generate, and communities already overburdened with some of the worst pollution in the country.

UDW joins more than 270 environmental justice, public health, education, political, and other labor organizations who have signed on as supporters of AB 345. One of the first unions in the country to be founded by people of color four decades ago, UDW members have consistently championed issues of social and economic justice and fought to protect the health, safety, and economic well-being of their communities. With a membership of low-income workers who are by majority women and people of color, UDW’s co-sponsorship of AB 345 marks a crucial–and logical–new partnership between the labor and the environmental justice movements.

As the California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee prepares to vote on AB 345 on Wednesday, August 5th, UDW joined the Voices In Solidarity Against Oil in Neighborhoods (VISIÓN) coalition, the original sponsor of the bill, to release the following statements:

“We represent over 6,500 home care workers in Kern County alone. Last year, The American Lung Association named its largest city, Bakersfield, as the city with the worst air quality in America,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director of UDW.“Our members are low income women and people of color and we are tired of our communities being the first choice for environmental hazards. We support AB 345 because the people who breathe the air and drink the water should have a say in where oil and gas extraction sites are located.”

“For too long, our opponents have used a false dichotomy of ‘labor vs. the environment’ to divide us. This is a bill that protects the health and safety of workers and their families who are continuously exposed to fossil fuel pollution, on and then off the job. We’re thrilled to elevate the stories of home care and child care workers who all too often are among the first and worst affected by fossil fuel pollution in California,” said Kobi Naseck, VISIÓN Coalition Coordinator.

“We are excited to welcome United Domestic Workers as a co-sponsor of AB 345. Workers and residents suffer the same harm when dangerous land uses, like oil/gas extraction, occur near homes or workplaces.“ said Ingrid Brostrom, Assistant Director of the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment.

AB 345 passed the California State Assembly in January 2020 and will be heard by the California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on Wednesday, August 5th.

After a historic vote, thousands of California child care workers are now eligible to join the Child Care Providers United union.

One member of the new union, Charlotte Neal, said this could not have been formed at a better time as her profession struggles to make ends meet during the pandemic.

Neal has been a child care provider for 19 years, and for the first time in her career, she can finally call herself a union member.

“It’s a long time coming. I’m excited because now child care providers have a voice and we are essential workers,” Neal said.

By an overwhelming margin, and after a 17-year campaign that started with lobbying and ended with successful organizing, AFSCME and the Service Employees scored a joint big win in California, winning recognition to represent at least 40,000 state-employed child care workers there.

Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden immediately congratulated the workers on their victory and declared in a tweet that he wants that victory to be extended nationwide and that he would use his position in the White House to make it easier for childcare workers across the entire nation to unionize. The win in California is the largest number of workers to unionize in a single sweep at any time during the 21st century.

Now comes the next phase: Bargaining with their employer, the state of California, over wages, working conditions and other items on their members’ agenda. Prime among them: getting the state to increase its payments to child care users and centers, since that cash accounts for most of the providers’ income.

“This has been a long time coming,” UDW Assistant Executive Director and AFSCME Vice President Johanna Hester said Monday. “This win gives 40,000 family child care providers in California the opportunity to bargain for higher pay, better training and increased access to care for every child who needs it.”

“People think of us as just ‘babysitters,’ but we’re so much more than that,” said longtime activist and child care provider Miren Algorri of Chula Vista. “We’re educators. Essential workers. We’re putting our lives on the line to care for these kids. Our union means we can fight for the respect and dignity that we deserve.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, child care workers have provided essential care for some of the state’s most critical workforces. Many providers are even putting their health at risk to remain open to ensure front-line workers can keep fighting this pandemic.

The child care workforce in California is also made up primarily of women of color, making this historic election a step forward in the fight for gender equity and racial justice, not just for the providers but also for the children and families they serve.

“This seat at the table means everything for the economic security and livelihoods of providers, the working families they serve and for the affordable, accessible child care system that California needs to rebuild its economy,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders, who joined CCPU for the virtual press conference to deliver his congratulations.

“This is not just a victory for union rights and economic justice. As a movement led by women of color, today’s win is also an important step in the march toward gender justice and racial justice,” Saunders added. “It is also a reminder, especially at a time when it can be tempting to throw up our hands and give up, that joining a union can help solve America’s deep-seated problems of racial and economic inequality.”

A 17-year organizing campaign in California culminated this week in the successful unionization of 45,000 child care providers—the largest single union election America has seen in years. The campaign is a tangible achievement that brings together union power, political might, and social justice battles for racial and gender equality. Now, the hard part begins.

Child Care Providers United (CCPU), the umbrella group now representing workers across the state, is a joint project of several powerful SEIU and AFSCME locals in California. Those unions divided up the state by counties, and workers will be members of either SEIU or AFSCME depending on where they live, as well as being members of CCPU.

The stage for this week’s vote was set last fall, when California governor Gavin Newsom signed into law legislation that granted bargaining rights to child care providers, who had previously been legally ineligible for unionization. Getting the law changed took 16 years, during which time it made it to the governor’s desk twice, but was vetoed—once by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and again by Jerry Brown. In the months since Newsom signed the bill, the unions used the networks they had already created over the past two decades to administer the election. The vote, announced yesterday, was 97% in favor of the new union.

43,000 workers who care for the kids of state-subsidized poor families have gone union in the nation’s largest organizing victory in many years.

In the nation’s largest union organizing victory in many years, California’s Public Employment Relations Board announced Monday that the state’s home-based care workers for children from poor families that receive state child care subsidies had voted to form a union. California Child Care Providers United has 43,000 members, and of those who voted in the union recognition election, fully 97 percent cast their ballot for the CCPU.

The identity of these new members is every bit as notable as their quantity. All but a handful are women, and the vast majority are either African American or Latina. Also notable is the length of their battle for the right to organize, which began all the way back in 2003.

Like millions of workers in minority- and female-dominated occupations, family care workers, along with other domestic workers and agricultural laborers, were pointedly excluded from having collective-bargaining rights under the 1935 National Labor Relations Act. States, however, were left free to grant those rights to those workers, as California did for farmworkers during Jerry Brown’s first go-round as governor in the mid-1970s. When child care workers first began to organize 17 years ago, their hope was that their state—first in granting farmworkers that right—would also become the first in granting child care providers that right.

A pair of protests collided in front of State Sen. Toni Atkins’ downtown San Diego office Friday morning, and joined forces to call for help.

Members from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment gathered to tell Atkins to support Assembly Bill 1436, which would extend the eviction moratorium until April 1, 2021. They say it’s the only way to protect people who haven’t been able to pay rent because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, a car rally organized by UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 demanded a new tax on California billionaires to help pay for child care and shore up holes in the state’s education budget.

The pandemic is here to stay for a while. Make sure you are protecting yourself and your client.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been tragic and scary. Hundreds of thousands of people have died worldwide and in our communities. Every sneeze in public reminds us how easy it would be to catch this deadly virus. This has been a time of grief and fear.

But it’s also been, well…boring. And lonely. And stressful. Many of us have been stuck at home while daily life slowed to a standstill: No movies, no restaurants, no church, no public pools, no family vacations. After four months of near lockdown in most California counties, it’s no wonder we are excited as businesses and other parts of society start to open up. Most of us are so done with the coronavirus.

But the coronavirus isn’t done with us by far. In fact, the pandemic is getting worse.

The pandemic was supposed to be slowing down by now, but it is speeding up. Our nation leads the world in COVID-19 cases, with 3 million—one million in the last month alone. In California alone, we are approaching 300,000 cases with nearly 7,000 deaths. We can blame bad leadership, but we must also blame ourselves for not taking precautions to slow the spread of the virus.

Yes, the coronavirus threat is still very serious. And it’s people like us that are in the most danger. The latest data shows Black and Latinx Americans have been three times as likely to become infected as white people. And Black and Latinx people have been nearly twice as likely to die from the virus as white people. A new surge among Latinx folks, particularly, is reason for alarm.

IHSS providers, like many frontline workers, are mostly women and people of color. We are tracking multiple outbreaks, especially among our Latinx members in Imperial and Orange Counties. Many families are reporting multiple hospitalizations in single households from COVID-19.

Your union is doing everything possible to protect you. We have wrangled protective supplies everywhere we can find them. We are now doing advocacy, membership meetings and trainings online. We’ve created an emergency response team to help our members who have tested positive for COVID. We’ve changed everything we do so we can keep helping each other during these hard times.

We can do all these things as a union, but stopping the virus comes down to personal responsibility. The actions we take every day decide whether this pandemic nightmare stops, slows down, or keeps going.

Don’t let “pandemic fatigue” make your drop your guard. The coronavirus is still spreading in our communities and is still a deadly threat. Take control of your life and your future during this pandemic by maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols.

If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, your union is here for you. Please call us at 1-800-621-5016 so we can help you apply for Sick Days, Disability and Family Medical Leave for your family.

Faced with a 7 percent cut to hours, we fought back—and won

There are many great things that workers can do when they join together in a union: pay raises, benefits and discounts, and big changes like overtime and sick pay are some of the things UDW has won for members. But when it comes to our union’s top priority, we all agree our number one job is to protect the IHSS program for providers and clients. We know that IHSS saves lives, saves money, and is a critical resource for hundreds of thousands of Californians and their families.

Cutting IHSS was on Governor Gavin Newsom’s “to-do” list in May. After California’s closed-down economy presented the state with a $54 billion shortfall, the governor proposed drastic cuts to many important programs. One of those proposed cuts was a 7 percent reduction, across the board, to IHSS hours. Many of us lived through cuts to hours in previous economic downturns, and we weren’t about to go through it again. A 7 percent cut would have worked out to be an average of nearly 8 hours less care per month for IHSS clients—and that is just not acceptable.

UDW immediately went to work at every level to make sure that cut didn’t happen. We conducted virtual lobby visits with legislators to let them know the real people who would be hurt by the cuts. We spoke at press conferences and did interviews with newspaper, TV and radio reporters. And when the legislature met to discuss the proposed cuts, even though we couldn’t flood the capitol like we’ve done in the past, we watched online and called in to make sure caregiver voices were heard.

Our efforts, and our solidarity as a union, paid off! The legislature rejected the proposed cut and came up with a new plan that didn’t rely on drastic cuts to services for seniors and people with disabilities. On June 29, Governor Newsom signed the no-7-percent-cut budget, ensuring that IHSS hours are safe during this economic downturn.

“Stopping this cut to IHSS hours was the result of UDW’s hard work and the dedication of our members to protecting their clients. It’s a huge victory for UDW caregivers,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “But we can never get comfortable when it comes to protecting the IHSS program; we need to keep our membership strong, united and vigilant to fight new threats when they come.”

UDW anticipates further threats to IHSS as the state deals with the economic fallout of COVID-19, and will keep you updated every step of the way as we fight to protect this vital program that so many of our loved ones rely on.

The past three months have been unlike any we’ve experienced in this country. With the pandemic upending our daily lives and protests over police killings testing the fabric of our communities, it has been hard just to get through our days. Our work as caregivers has gotten even harder: day programs and schools closed, leaving our clients irritable and needy; the state labels us “essential workers” but can’t seem to get us the supplies we need to keep ourselves and our clients safe; and on top of it all…California threatens a cut to the IHSS program. Sometimes it all seems like too much!

Sisters and brothers, I hear you. This time has tested all of us mentally and physically. It’s never been harder to be an IHSS provider.

Because of the unique, important work that we do, we are each other’s best resource during a crisis; only other care providers can truly understand the challenges of caregiving during a crisis. So if you have questions or concerns, reach out to your union. We are here for you. We will always be here for you.

I attended this meeting to inform our Local Board members and activists about the AFSCME convention scheduled for August

I joined UDW Secretary-Treasurer Rose Nguyen at our San Diego headquarters to distribute funds for organizational activities.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team Monthly Meeting, San Diego, January 21

I presided over this meeting as San Diego District CAT chairperson. Nicanora Montenegro and our UDW San Diego Local Board members are part of the planning committee for the San Diego CAT Regional convention this year.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I met one-on-one with District 3 Chair Rosa Beltran and District 3 Vice Chair Desmond Prescott

I joined our District 3 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 3 members.

I represented Southern California and our IHSS community at this gathering of advocates for those impacted by arthritis.

I was honored to attend and present graduation certificates to the latest class of our Leadership Academy. Special thanks to UDW staff Rania and Andrew for their excellent work mentoring our members to success.

I spent two days in our San Diego headquarters meeting with members and staff on priorities and goals for our union.

I attended this annual event where UDW Executive Director Doug Moore addresses our statewide staff live and via zoom to talk about what UDW needs to do in the year ahead to meet the needs of our membership.

I joined our District 2 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 2 members.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I attended the meetings of District 7’s Civil & Human Rights, Political, and Health and Welfare Councils to help Council members address these important issues.

I joined our District 7 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Board Meeting, Orange County, February 25-26

I joined our District 7 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for

Spoke on the phone with a Mira Mesa member to resolve a problem with life insurance.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team Monthly Meeting Conference Call, San Diego, March 17

I presided over this call as we covered issues such as COVID-19 resources, lobby visits, and the upcoming convention.

I worked with UDW staff to prepare for upcoming conferences using video technology to replace in-person meetings due to the pandemic.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Convention Committee Conference Call, March 18

I presided as Statewide President at this regular meeting of our union’s elected leadership.

I joined the call to learn updates on the COVID-19 pandemic and other resources.

I presided over this call with Communications Committee Chairperson Camilla Bradford as we worked to put together member resources for fighting COVID-19.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails including communicating with a Mira Mesa member whom I had assisted with IHSS advocacy.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Executive Committee Meeting, March 25

I represented UDW as CARA Vice President at this regularly scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee.

I joined other UDW leaders and staff to present information on COVID-19 safety and prevention, as well as UDW’s response to the pandemic, to our members.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails.

I worked with UDW staff to set up new video teams for the upcoming Finance Committee meeting and Executive Board meeting.

To comply with the UDW’s pandemic response strategy of working from home whenever possible, I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails, including helping an Escondido member get up-to-date COVID-19 information.

I participated in this all-staff video conference about changes to working conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails, including explaining member benefits and COVID-19 information to a Chula Vista member.

I worked with the Finance Committee and UDW Executive Director Doug Moore on our AT&T contract and the purchase of a predictive dialer system and computer to be approved by the Executive Board. I emailed board members to inform them of the necessary purchases.

I took phone calls, texts and answered union-related emails, including sharing COVID-19 information with an Escondido member.

I met with the UDW Executive Board to review AT&T and Predictive Dialer System proposals.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Convention Committee Conference Call, April 15

I made daily calls to participate in UDW’s campaign check on our members’ welfare during the COVID-19 crisis.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team Monthly Meeting, San Diego, March 21

I presided over this meeting as we covered issues such as COVID-19 resources, lobby visits, and the upcoming convention.

I joined this meeting of UDW staff to talk about current work priorities and strategies.

I spent the day working at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I presided over this special call to discuss extremely urgent issues to the union.

I made daily calls to participate in UDW’s campaign check on our members’ welfare during the COVID-19 crisis.

I participated, through video and phone, in this hearing of our sponsored bill, AB 1993, which would expand Unemployment Insurance eligibility to parent and spouse IHSS providers.

I joined this call to learn and share important information with the AFN community.

I helped members and clients learn the basics and best practices for filling our IHSS timesheets accurately and to avoid unnecessary violations.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Training and Webinar, May 15

I represented UDW as CARA Vice President at the training on how to lobby on important issues for our members.

I made daily calls to participate in UDW’s campaign check on our members’ welfare during the COVID-19 crisis.

I attended the meetings of District 7’s Civil & Human Rights, Political, and Health and Welfare Councils to help Council members address these important issues.

I spent time at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities.

I presided over this meeting to discuss our union’s fiduciary responsibilities.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Training and Webinar Conference Call , May 15

I represented UDW as CARA Vice President at the training on how to lobby on important issues for our members.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team One-On-One Call, May 18

I met by phone with CARA Southern California Organizer, Susan Meyer, in preparation for an upcoming Action Team meeting.

I joined this meeting by phone to monitor developments in the California State Budget as they pertain to IHSS and other UDW member priorities.

I represented UDW membership at this meeting that works to enact the political priorities of AFSCME member unions such as UDW.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Action Team Meeting, San Diego, May 19

I represented UDW as CARA Vice President at this regular meeting of the CARA Action Team.

I made daily calls to participate in UDW’s campaign check on our members’ welfare during the COVID-19 crisis.

I spent time at our San Diego headquarters, signing checks to distribute funds for organizational activities, taking a CICA conference call, and participating in an IHSS COVID-19 webinar.

I joined this call to learn and share important information with the AFN community.

I joined this video conference of all UDW staff to discuss work-from-home and other COVID-19 concerns.

I made daily calls to participate in UDW’s campaign check on our members’ welfare during the COVID-19 crisis.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Board Conference Call, May 27

I represented UDW as CARA Vice President at this regularly scheduled board meeting.

I represented UDW and other IHSS families who are impacted by arthritis on this regularly scheduled meeting.

As you know, earlier this year our union, CCPU, handed more than 10,000 petitions into California state officials declaring our intention of uniting child care workers into a powerful force that will forever change the landscape of child care and early childhood education in our great state.

Well, I have some amazing news! It’s almost time to Vote YES and make our union official. In the coming weeks, you will be receiving your official CCPU ballot in the mail!

This is yet another historic moment in a campaign full of historic moments. Take a second and appreciate all the hard work you have done to help get us here.

Once your ballot arrives in a few weeks, be sure to promptly, and correctly fill it out and send it back in. We need your vote to make our union official and ensure we have a seat at the table in Sacramento when it comes to improving our wages, benefits, and the care we are able to provide our families.

If you’re unsure about your vote, let me remind you how important CCPU has been.

Here’s just a few things we have won recently during the COVID-19 pandemic:

CCPU has also been working in various counties around the state securing money for additional supplies and protective gear for providers, ensuring we have everything they need to keep our facilities clean and safe for our families and the families we care for.

And our union is not done! But we need you to Vote YES and make sure we win this election, and showing lawmakers we are a strong, united force.

Have you signed our pledge to Vote YES? If not, simply add your name to the list of providers pledging to Vote YES when their ballot arrives.

On behalf of the over 118,000 IHSS caregivers we represent, I want to thank the Senate and Assembly for coming to a budget agreement that rejects the harmful cuts to IHSS and other programs serving seniors and people with disabilities proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom in his May Revision. By protecting important programs that allow people to live at home in safety and with dignity, the legislature has forged a path through our current crisis that will lead to better outcomes for those who are already disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and its economic fallout.

Thanks to the outstanding leadership of Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Budget Chair Holly Mitchell and Assembly Budget Chair Phil Ting, we are set to avoid the mistakes of the past, when other administrations balanced budgets on the backs of those who could least withstand it. We look forward to working with the leaders of both houses and Governor Newsom to find just, equitable, and humane solutions to California’s budget crisis.

These are the names of just some of the Black people who have been senselessly murdered in the U.S. this year. And for the past seven days since George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police, cities and towns across the country have seen uprisings of a magnitude we haven’t seen since the 1960s.

Except now, the young Black people leading these revolts refuse to turn the other cheek. They are fed up and fighting back. Across the world, from New Zealand to Germany, people are coming together to say enough is enough.

Many of us thought that after Trayvon Martin, after Mike Brown, after Sandra Bland and countless others, things would change. And it’s true – some things have changed. Some police officers have been held accountable, like Botham Jean’s killer, police officer Amber Guyger, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his death.

But it is no longer enough to say that the police officers responsible for the death of George Floyd should be held accountable. If police violence against Black Americans is just a case of a few bad apples, then why hasn’t anyone gotten rid of them?

It is no longer enough to say that voting alone is the answer. After all, Minneapolis voted Ilhan Omar to Congress, a Black Muslim woman and staunch progressive – and George Floyd was still murdered there.

Before we can move forward, before there can be healing, before we can truly end systemic and institutional racism, America must be held accountable for its original sin against Black people: slavery.

I’ve been to South Africa, I’ve been to Germany. The horrors that happened in these places – apartheid, the Holocaust – are not just swept under the rug, they are acknowledged. But where is that same acknowledgement in America?

Sure, we learn about three-fifths. We learn about Jim Crow laws. We learn about the Civil Rights Movement. But how many people know about structural racism? How many people know about intergenerational trauma, about the PTSD – caused by slavery – that has been passed down to every African-American in this country? How many people understand that generally worse health outcomes for Black people in America can be tied directly to this trauma?

But we need to have courage. Our leaders need to have courage to change policy and to address the disparate treatment of Black people in this country. To defund institutions that continue to murder our people. Our leaders need to acknowledge slavery and the 155 years of trauma that followed it. And they need to do all of this even if it impacts their electability.

Too often our leaders are afraid to rock the boat. Well, the boat’s been tipped over, and we have no life preserver.

UDW members are people of every race and ethnicity, but we are a majority women of color workforce. Caregivers are devalued and underpaid, providing care for low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are also all too often overlooked and marginalized. So as people who all face discrimination, our union knows how imperative it is that we lift each other up and act in solidarity with all who are oppressed and marginalized.

But oppressed people in solidarity will not be enough. We need everyone who stands against hatred, who stands against racism and bigotry, who know and believe that Black Lives Matter and that silence is violence, to join us and have courage. Have the courage to talk to your family members and friends about George Floyd and police violence, have the courage to question the institutions that continue to oppress Black people, have the courage to acknowledge the hundreds of years of violence inflicted upon Black people by this country that we love, and find ways to address that pain and heal it.

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a union made up of over 118,000 in-home caregivers in 21 counties throughout the state of California. UDW caregivers provide critical services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allow over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence.

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

We continue to push for the protections we need to get us through this crisis, like hazard pay, protecting next year’s minimum wage increase, more hours for our clients, and a permanent expansion of Unemployment Insurance to parent and spouse providers. We get things done when we stand together and keep our union strong.

Stay updated on the latest COVID-19 updates at www.udwa.org/covid19. To get help applying for COVID-related sick leave or unemployment, call us at 1-800-621-5016.

The following letter was sent to both the California State Assembly and California State Senate members of their respective budget committees in opposition to the proposed 7% cuts to IHSS hours.

The UDW Executive Board, on behalf of 118,000 In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers in 21 counties, condemns in the strongest terms possible the Governor’s proposed budget reductions that arbitrarily and disproportionately target low income seniors and people with disabilities.

Reinstating the 7% reduction in services hours will be devastating for IHSS consumers. It is important to note that consumers, in order to be eligible, must submit certification by a licensed health care professional that without IHSS they would be at risk of placement in out-of-home care. A consumer assessed by a county social worker as needing the average number of monthly hours (116) will lose 8 of those hours – time which is needed for laundry or bathing or grocery shopping. A consumer who is assessed as needing the maximum number of hours (283) will lose 20 hours of services per month. We know from past experience IHSS clients will have to make choices about their care that no person should ever have to make. Providers and their clients will have to rush care or decide if they have enough hours available in a given day for a client to receive help with bathing or eating a meal.

On a separate note, the 7% reduction in service hours will result in 696 IHSS providers in the counties represented by UDW losing their health insurance because they no will longer be working the minimum number of hours to remain eligible. The reduction will also impact the amount of revenue available to fund existing the health plans because, per the terms of our collective bargaining agreements, this revenue is linked to the number of paid hours worked. Based on April 2020 hours, this would result in an additional 1683 providers losing their health coverage. A total of 2,379 IHSS providers will be forced onto MediCal or become uninsured. Both are particularly terrible outcomes during the COVID pandemic.

UDW opposes all of the May Revise proposals to reduce and eliminate state programs that protect low income seniors and people with disabilities from COVID-19 infection. The Governor is proposing actions that conflict with guidance from national and state infectious disease specialists. According to the California Department of Public Health, older adults and people with serious medical conditions are at increased risk of serious complications resulting from infection and therefore must stay home as much as possible. The Center for Disease Control advises older adults and people with chronic health conditions to “stay home whenever possible and consider ways to get food, medicines, and essentials delivered to your home”.

IHSS caregivers provide these and other essential services that enable older adults and people with disabilities to shelter in place. IHSS ensures our most vulnerable populations stay out of nursing homes, where upwards of 40% of COVID-19 deaths in California have occurred. IHSS helps seniors and people with disabilities avoid hospitalization and homelessness. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the last thing the state should do is reduce IHSS or any home and community-based services.

If anything, the pandemic has created significant additional need for IHSS to account for the loss of day programs and other resources as well as the increased time needed for grocery shopping, disinfecting the home, and other safety tasks. Right now, many IHSS providers are working additional hours without pay and spending their own money to purchase PPE and cleaning supplies for their clients. These caregivers must be supported, not punished. IHSS must be augmented, not reduced. We urge you to avoid these reductions at all cost as they will result in the suffering and death of many of our most vulnerable Californians.

Sacramento, CA — United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union of in-home caregivers and family child care providers in California, released the following statement from Johanna Hester, assistant executive director of UDW, concerning Governor Newsom’s “May Revise” budget:

“We are grateful for Governor Newsom’s continued commitment to family child care providers and the millions of California families that rely on their care. Child care providers are the backbone of California’s economy, and are pivotal to our economic recovery. Not only is Governor Newsom staying the course with these essential frontline workers, he is increasing access to child care while adding stipend support for providers. With Newsom’s partnership, we are hopeful to achieve our mutual goal of quality, affordable child care for all.

As schools and child care centers remain closed, we are relying on family child care providers more than ever before to support our frontline workers. However, many family child care providers are facing significant financial hurdles during this pandemic. We must do more to encourage them to keep their doors open. Our union looks forward to working with the state and federal government to find alternative solutions that will stabilize rates for this vital workforce.”

Sacramento, CA — United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union representing over 118,000 in-home caregivers in California, released the following statement from Doug Moore, executive director of UDW, concerning Governor Newsom’s “May Revise” budget:

“Unfortunately without additional federal relief funds, the May Revise fails our state’s most vulnerable populations by cutting home care hours for more than 600,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities. It’s clear that the Governor is forced to make distressing decisions, and that we must employ creative solutions, but we must not do so at the expense of seniors, people with disabilities, and those who care for them. Now is not the time to drain resources from a critical program that is already struggling to meet the growing need for care in a state with a rapidly aging population.

“A 7% cut to the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Program flies in the face of assessments by experts who have urged more home-based health care, not less. These cuts mean more than 600,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities will lose millions of hours of life-saving care in the middle of a global pandemic. With social distancing and safer-at-home orders in place, these cuts will have catastrophic consequences across the state, as seniors and people with disabilities will not receive the full amount of care determined by their social workers to be necessary for independent living.

“49% of California’s COVID-related fatalities have occurred in elder care facilities. Now is not the time cut IHSS, which allows low-income seniors and people with disabilities to receive care safely at home. IHSS caregivers are Essential Critical Infrastructure workers and they are on the frontlines of this pandemic, but most earn near minimum wage and have very few benefits. Cutting their clients’ hours will mean cutting caregivers’ pay at a time when they need economic security more than ever.

“This cut endangers the lives of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Californians and destroys years of work to protect and shore up the IHSS program. We understand the magnitude of the budget challenge California faces; however we hope Governor Newsom reconsiders his proposal to ask the most from those already making do with the least: low-income seniors and people with disabilities.”

Millions of Americans are unable to work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, sadly, this includes some IHSS providers too.

Before the pandemic, IHSS providers were eligible for unemployment insurance just like other workers—except for parent and spouse providers. The exemption for parent and spouse providers is unfair and we are working to change that with our bill AB 1993.

Unemployment Insurance (UI) is a program run by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) and is meant to be short-term financial assistance for workers who become partially or fully unemployed through no fault of their own and will be able to continue working as soon as they can. Workers who quit their jobs or who were fired for cause are generally not eligible for UI, but there are exceptions.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there have been changes to unemployment insurance eligibility and IHSS providers have access to expanded UI benefits that will help if you become unable to work due to COVID-19 – including parent and spouse providers.

To assist the millions of Americans who have lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic but are not covered under existing unemployment protections, Congress passed legislation that would expand unemployment insurance to workers who are not normally eligible for it and provide extra assistance to those who are. The federal CARES act created the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to provide assistance to workers who are business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, and others not usually eligible for UI such as parent or spouse IHSS providers. This pandemic-specific unemployment insurance is being administered by the states. California EDD is running our state’s PUA program.

If you qualify for unemployment insurance, that means you need it. During these hard economic times, it’s tempting to say “I don’t have it as bad as other people”. But, if you become partially or fully unemployed, the best thing you can do for your family or community is to take advantage of unemployment insurance to keep up to date on your bills and make sure you are healthy and safe. Always remember your union is here for you; we are Caregiver Strong, and we will get through this together.

Activist, mother, caregiver, hero—Mary Courtney-Sheldon is one of the half million frontline home care workers in California keeping seniors and people with disabilities safe from COVID-19.

An IHSS provider for her adult son with autism in Poway, Mary, like many home care providers, left a well-paying career to become her son’s caregiver through IHSS when it became clear that his only other choice was to leave home for a long-term care facility.

“It doesn’t make any sense, we’re literally saving the state $27,000 a month by providing him with the care he needs at home, and yet I make basically minimum wage,” she said. (IHSS providers in San Diego County make just $13.50 per hour.)

To add insult to injury, Mary has been using her paltry wages to pay for her own masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial hand soap, and medical-grade disinfectants – all the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that frontline caregivers need to keep their clients safe from COVID-19.

But Mary hasn’t just secured PPE for herself, she’s gone above and beyond; procuring thousands of dollars worth of supplies and distributing them to more than 200 home care providers in San Diego, Orange, Imperial, and Riverside counties.

“The county should be doing this, the Public Authority should be making sure we have the supplies we need,” she said. “Not just the supplies we need once our client contracts COVID-19, but the supplies we need to prevent that from happening in the first place.”

Earlier this month Governor Gavin Newsom called for PPE to be distributed to IHSS providers statewide after speaking with UDW member Carnella Marks of Butte County and learning of the difficulties providers are facing during this unprecedented crisis. Governor Newsom knows we are essential, frontline workers – but we need to make sure that this is understood by everyone, not just those at the top.

Mary isn’t able to purchase supplies for everyone, and she shouldn’t have to. That’s why UDW is doing what we can to find, purchase, and distribute supplies to home care workers in need – and to encourage the counties to do the same.

Are you a home care provider in need of PPE or help related to COVID-19? Call us at 1-800-621-5016.

Gabriella Cisneros looks after 14 children at her home day care outside San Diego and is down to her last bottle of Clorox wipes. A private childcare operator, she has a few rolls of paper towels and a little hand sanitizer left, but she doesn’t know how long those will last so that she can keep the kids, and her livelihood, safe.

But Cisneros, 38, said dwindling resources and a lack of health insurance is putting independent day care workers at risk — all while they have had to delay organizing a union through the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees because of disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic.

If you, your client, or someone in your family becomes ill with COVID-19 or develops symptoms you believe may be due to COVID-19, you need to seek medical care. But many of us have no or limited access to health coverage, or we don’t know how to use the coverage we have when it comes to COVID-19. Many public announcements say you should “call your doctor” if you have symptoms. But what do you do if you don’t have your own doctor?

To help during the pandemic, California is creating and expanding health coverage options for those of us who need it. Regardless of what, if any, health insurance you have, you should not have to pay for any screening or testing of COVID-19. There are now a variety of plans designed to ensure that everyone infected with COVID-19 receives affordable care. Below you will find explanations and how each plan impacts workers like us if we need to access COVID-19 care.

IMPORTANT: Many of these coverage options are only for COVID-19 care. If you would like to find out if you qualify for Medi-Cal visit https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/Pages/ApplyforMedi-Cal.aspx. If you would like to purchase coverage or find out if you are eligible for discounted health coverage through Covered California, the enrollment period has been extended through June 2020, visit https://www.coveredca.com/. If you already purchase health coverage through Covered California and have changed financial circumstances due to COVID-19, you may qualify for lowered premiums.

If you are uninsured, lost your health insurance due to unemployment, or if your insurer doesn’t cover COVID-19

If you have private or employer-sponsored health coverage like Kaiser or have purchased health coverage through Covered California

Though every one of us deserves full health coverage ALL the time, that’s not the world we currently live in. But even if we are not all covered for all health issues, all Californians currently have the right to care and treatment for COVID-19. If you feel you have been exposed, use the above resources to get advice and help. Our health is the most important resource we have; make sure you are protecting yours.

Before the COVID-19 epidemic, IHSS providers earned up to eight hours of sick leave per year. That’s never been enough, and we have always fought for more. But with the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government has finally realized that sick caregivers, just like all workers, need more than one day of sick time.

Now, thanks to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), emergency pandemic legislation that will remain in effect until December 31, 2020, IHSS providers can get up to eighty hours (two weeks) of emergency paid sick leave when they are unable to work due to COVID-19.

To be eligible for the new sick leave, you must meet at least one of the following conditions:

This is a new, emergency program and we can expect some confusion on the part of county staff as it is implemented. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your union for help at 1-800-621-5016.

Miren Algorri has been a licensed day care provider for 22 years — her 23rd anniversary is coming up this month.

Ordinarily, Algorri and her assistant take care of up to 14 kids in her home in Chula Vista, California. The youngest right now is 16 months old. “We still rock him to sleep,” Algorri said. The oldest is 8, and she has been caring for him for six years.

But on Tuesday, she told Vox, “I am sad to announce that today we have zero attendance.”

Algorri was still technically open on Tuesday, and said she hopes to stay that way in case any families need her. It is her “duty and responsibility to these families so they can continue to make a living,” she told Vox. But as the coronavirus pandemic worsens, she’s not sure how long that will last.

She lives in Chico and has some masks left over from the Camp Fire a few years ago. She’s using them to try and make sure she doesn’t catch coronavirus or pass it along to her 71 year-old father-in-law Albert, who she cares for. He lives with Marks, her husband, and her thirteen-year-old twins.

Marks is an in-home support service (IHSS) worker in Butte County. Like many of the state’s half a million IHSS workers, she takes care of a family member.

Mark’s father-in-law has a severe case of Alzheimer’s. He also has heart and cholesterol problems. He was doing much worse before he came to live with them back in September.

“The doctors basically told us to go make funeral arrangements,” Marks said. Instead, she brought him back to her home in Chico and got to work.

Most of us are eligible for federal stimulus payments, but you may have to take action to receive it

When the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the $2.2 trillion package designed to help save lives and the economy during the COVID-19 outbreak, was signed into law on March 27, the first question many of us had was: Do I qualify for a stimulus check? And, if so, how do I get it?

For most working folks like us, the answer to the first question is yes, we qualify. If you are eligible, filed tax returns in 2018 or 2019, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has your direct deposit information, Economic Impact Payments (the official name of the stimulus checks) should be deposited into your bank account near the end of April. If the IRS does not have your direct deposit information, you will have to wait longer to get a check in the mail. If you qualify for the payments but didn’t file taxes in 2018 or 2019, you will have to take action to receive your check. Fill out a simple form provided by the IRS: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments.

We had our legal experts examine the CARES Act to determine how it will affect UDW members and their families. Here’s what you need to know:

Please note: this material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified tax advisor or accountant. All decisions regarding the tax implications of this information should be made with the consultation of your independent tax advisor.

When Camilla decided to study nursing at Concorde Career College in Denver, she did so because she wanted to help people recover from illnesses. She never imagined she’d be confronted with a global pandemic like COVID-19.

“It’s a little terrifying for most of us because no one really knows how, not exactly how, it’s spread,” she said. “That’s not something you think about these days. I probably should have, but it was definitely not something I imagined and it’s not something that they brought up in class.”

The 36-year-old home health care nurse is employed by a health care provider in San Diego and spends her work days traveling to patients homes, about five per day. She performs duties on-site that can be done outside clinics or hospitals, such as wound care, teaching patients how to take medications and changing catheters.

The coronavirus outbreak has shown us many good things about our country: The strength of family bonds, how to pull together as a community, and the importance of the hardworking people who perform essential services. But it has also pulled back the curtain to expose the widening holes of inequality that make emergencies like this more costly—and more deadly—to poor people and people of color.

When this crisis passes, we will need to address the structural inequality that values some families over others. To do that, we are going to need an accurate count of the people and families in every community. The 2020 Census is happening right now, and there’s never been a more important time for everyone to participate in it and make sure we are all counted.

The United States undertakes a Census every ten years and it is one of the most critical tools in maintaining our democracy. And it is especially important to a big, diverse state like California. The Census decides how billions of federal dollars are distributed in California. An undercount could mean less money for our schools, health services, childcare, emergency services and many other programs. With over half of IHSS funding coming from the federal government, we need to be counted or some of those funds could go to other states. The Census also decides the number of California’s Congressional members and Electoral College votes. A complete count means more people in power who truly represent and advocate for our communities.

If you have your census mailer, there are easy instructions on how to fill it out. Go to my2020census.gov and click “Start Questionnaire”. You will be asked for the 12- digit code on your Census mailer. If you don’t have your code, the site will guide you to use your address. Then there will be a few quick questions about the people who live in your household: how many, what ages and ethnicities, their relationship to the person answering the survey.

IMPORTANT: The 2020 Census does NOT include any questions about citizenship and will NOT be used to identify people who are undocumented.

A lot of people are afraid to answer the Census because they are undocumented or are uncomfortable revealing information to the government. But that fear could end up endangering undocumented communities as California gets less representation, less funding and less say about the future of our country.

In a normal Census year, people who didn’t answer online or by mail would get a follow up visit to their homes where a trained Census worker would ask questions in person. But the COVID-19 emergency may delay that outreach in some areas. Don’t wait! Respond to the Census today at my2020census.gov and make sure you count! And make sure your friends and family know that answering the Census is safe, private, easy, and as important as voting to the future of our state and our country.

You can find out more about how important an accurate Census count helps Californians like you at https://californiacensus.org

If you have questions about how to fill out the Census, call the UDW Member Benefits Center at 1-888-621-5016.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a statewide “shelter in place” order in an effort to slow the spread of COVID 19 that goes into place at 12:00am on March 20, 2020.

Your union is here for you, and we are working round-the-clock to protect IHSS providers and clients. Click here to learn more about what we are fighting for, including access to supplies and free testing for all IHSS providers and clients. And good news! The state is already listening to us. As of March 19th, the Governor has issued an Executive Order to suspend timesheet violations for COVID-19 related overtime through June, and all reassessments are being waived for 90 days.

We know you have more questions, which is why we are hosting a statewide tele-town hall next week. Stay tuned for more information about that call.

As of 12 a.m., March 20, the entire state of California has been directed to “shelter in place” to slow the spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. Sheltering in place is an emergency management term which means everyone except for those performing essential services must stay home and only leave home for activities such as shopping for food and medical appointments.

IHSS caregiving is an essential service. If you are an IHSS provider, continue to care for your client unless either of you show symptoms of or test positive for COVID-19. If you are infected with the virus or believe you are infected with the virus, help your client call the county to request a backup caregiver. If you believe your client has contracted the virus, contact their doctor immediately as seniors and people with disabilities are at a high risk of developing severe and life-threatening complications from COVID-19.

Your union, UDW, is working with the state government to get the protection and support we need during this crisis. The Governor has expressed his support and respect for the work we do and the critical role we play in keeping seniors and people with disabilities safe. UDW’s number one priority right now is to ensure that IHSS providers and clients are safe, healthy, supported and informed.

The following is a guide you can use to navigate the shelter at home phase of this crisis. We have collected the best information we have on what you should and shouldn’t do, as well as suggestions for activities to improve your well-being while sheltering at home.

Essential public services will continue. Essential infrastructure and governmental functions include:

You can engage in outdoor activities like walking your dog, but you should maintain 6 feet of distance from all other people. And it’s OK to drive to parks or to go the beach and to ride a bicycle for exercise.

Gatherings of any size outside of homes and residences are prohibited, except if they’re for essential functions.

Postpone house parties and family gatherings. People from different households or living units should not gather, unless they’re conducting essential business.

By staying home and limiting contact with other people, we can slow to spread of COVID-19. This will keep our healthcare system from being overwhelmed by sick people, ensuring enough medical care for those who do need it. We all have a part to play in limiting the spread of this virus. Sheltering in place requires everyone to stay home, not just vulnerable people, because anyone can become a carrier of COVID-19, which could lead to more spread of the virus.

As of March 2020, scientists don’t know how long the virus lives on different types of surfaces. The best defense is to clean surfaces and your hands often, and to minimize contact with public surfaces such as door handles and gas pumps. Use a paper towel or nitrate glove to touch public surfaces and wash your hands as soon as you can after touching the surface. Do not touch your face. Based on what we know right now, this virus is primarily spread through contact with the face.

Make sure you are keeping a daily routine, even if you are sheltering at home. Keep in contact with friends and loved ones, spend time with your pets, prepare healthy meals and don’t overdose on news or media sources that make you feel anxious. Get as much rest as you are able and make sure to find ways to engage in physical activity.

UDW is committed to providing you with the latest information you and your clients need. Please check our website and our Facebook page for regular updates.

As a union of over 116,000 home care providers, we are truly frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic that is sweeping the world and changing all of our daily lives. IHSS providers work in the homes of high-risk individuals—and many of us are high risk ourselves. Many of us can’t “shelter in place”, practice “social distancing” or simply stay at home and wait it out; our clients are depending on us and we can’t afford to go unpaid.

That’s why UDW is responding to this emergency by calling on the state of California to take immediate, direct action to address the needs of the IHSS community. We have reached out to the Governor’s office and asked for the following:

And, good news, the state is already listening! As of March 19, the Governor has issued an Executive Order to suspend timesheet violations for COVID-19 related overtime through June!

Governor Gavin Newsom has told the public that IHSS workers are a critical resource right now as we are protecting those most endangered by COVID-19. We thank him for his strong leadership during this unprecedented crisis and ask him to take these immediate actions that will give us the tools to protect ourselves during this crisis.

As we began to see schools around the state shutdown, we knew immediately that child care providers would quickly become overwhelmed. We also knew that as more and more people were sent home from work, some would find themselves losing children, and wondering if they would still get paid.

Our union, CCPU quickly organized and starting demanding the state come up with solutions to ensure that we could not only care for the possible influx of children, but that those would may lose children would be paid.

Thanks to the hard work of members like you, Governor Newsom has agreed to take steps to ensure that child care providers are properly paid, and won’t have vital utilities shut off during this state of emergency.

The state also released guidelines for the containment and control of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) for child care settings. You can view those guidelines here.

In moments of crisis, we pull through by uniting, as we’ve done in the past. COVID-19 has shown us that we are dependent on each other and whether we’re Black or white, Latino or Asian, native or newcomer, it all comes down to our shared values as providers.

We know that Seniors, children, and people with chronic illnesses are some of the most at-risk during cold and flu season, so it makes sense that caregivers like us are especially worried about the recent coronavirus outbreak.

Thankfully, there are some fairly simple ways we can protect our clients and combat the spread of the illness – and the more we all know about the virus and how to protect ourselves and our clients, the safer we will be.

Based on the Governor’s recent announcement, older adults, individuals with compromised immune systems, and individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease should take the following steps:

Additionally, you can use the following resources for up-to-date information regarding the spread and prevention of Coronavirus.

Resources for home care workers

Resources for child care providers

Resources for combating discrimination, racism, and xenophobia

The World Health Organization has officially declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. If you feel you may have contracted the virus, please click here for guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or visit their website at cdc.gov.

Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County Public Health Officer has issued an order restricting public gatherings to no more than 10 people. The order also restricts gatherings with fewer than 10 people must have enough available room to maintain six feet of space between attendees — known as social distancing. Residents are urged to visit www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus for updated information.

As a result of this pandemic, the Culinary Arts Class scheduled to begin April 21^sthas been cancelled. Thank you for your submission and interest in being a part of this program. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and will communicate via email, during the late summer months, regarding the status of the program.

2020 is going to be a big year for us. Our union is adding thousands of new members, we have ambitious new goals to improve pay and benefits for caregivers, and we are going to make our voices heard in this election—louder than ever before!

Caregivers started this union four decades ago with an idea as simple as it was revolutionary: that everyone deserves care and dignity and that every family deserves to share in the promise and prosperity that this state and this country has to offer. With that idea in mind, I look forward to working with all of you as we share our strength and love to build a future where we, our clients, our families and our communities have everything we need to lead long, happy, fulfilling lives.

Really, can you believe it is already 2020?! Time goes so fast and the time we have with loved ones is never enough. As caregivers, we know all too well how fragile life is. My wish for all of you this year is that you get to spend time doing the things that make life matter with the people who matter most to you.

I represented Southern California and our IHSS community at this gathering of advocates for those impacted by arthritis.

I joined our District 7 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I joined our District 3 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 3 members.

I joined our District 7 Council to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members

I attended this meeting to assist our San Diego members set priorities and strategies for our contract there.

I attended this ceremony and served as guest speaker to celebrate the achievements of the B5 Culinary Academy, a UDW-supported non-profit that provides free training in the hospitality industry for those wishing to gain those valuable skills.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) annual convention, October 21- 23

I attended the annual convention of this important organization of advocates for seniors for whom I serve as vice president.

I joined our District 3 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 3 members.

I joined the District 7 Local Board meeting to discuss the upcoming meeting preparation. I attended the political councils promoting voter registration and election information.

I attended the District 7 UDW Civil and Human Rights/ Health and Welfare Councils meetings to talk about the organization’s events and other services.

I served as a host and speaker for the UDW tele-town hall which helped educated members on recent IHSS victories, Electronic Timesheets and Electronic Visit Verification (EVV).

District 4 Provider Appreciation Dinner (PAD) and membership meeting, November 16

I attended the District 3 PAD and membership meeting that included celebrating the latest graduating class of our Leadership Academy there.

I attended the District 7 PAD and membership meeting that included celebrating the latest graduating class of our Leadership Academy there.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) retreat, Oakland, December 4

I fulfilled my role of representing UDW as Vice President of CARA at this annual retreat.

It should come as no surprise then, that they want to unionize. In fact, they’ve been trying to for more than a decade.

Today, some of those childcare workers towed a red wagon filled with an estimated 10,000 signed cards in support of a union election through the streets of Sacramento.

Child care workers delivered 10,000 union cards to the state Public Employment Relations Board to qualify for an election after a rally Wednesday at the Capitol.

“We’re here delivering 10,000 votes from child care providers across the state in support of the election of our union,” said family care provider Rasiene Reece.

Assemblywoman Monique Limón, D-Goleta, paved the way for some 40,000 childcare workers to unionize and collectively bargain with the state last year through her Assembly Bill 378.

Supporters hope a successful campaign to represent tens of thousands of workers will improve the system for everyone involved.

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

As we look ahead to 2020 and beyond, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the events and accomplishments of the past year:

Governor Gavin Newson showed his support for caregiving by eliminating the 7 percent cut to IHSS hours in his first budget proposal.

We released our annual report card that details which lawmakers supported caregivers…and which did not. Sixty-four California State legislators had perfect 100 percent ratings in support for caregivers!

In the first of many contract victories for UDW counties this year, our Mono members ratified a new contract that included a raise to $12.50 an hour (upon ratification), $13.50 an hour on January 1, 2020, $14.50 an hour on January 1, 2021, and $15.50 an hour on January 1, 2022.

UDW members of Child Care Providers United (CCPU-UDW) knocked on thousands of doors statewide to sign more family child care providers into our growing movement.

Gov. Newsom unveiled a bold new plan to address the state’s long-term care needs. Called the Master Plan on Aging, the new initiative seeks input from long-term care stakeholders including UDW members.

Butte County UDW member Carnella Marks was invited to be Gov. Newsom’s special guest at his first annual State of the State address.

Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes accepted our invitation to “Walk-a-Day” in the shoes of one of our members, CCPU-UDW family child care provider Debbie Cook of Corona.

UDW Executive Vice President Astrid Zuniga addressed the 12^th Annual Developmental Disabilities Public Policy Conference and talked about our union’s work ensuring safer relations between law enforcement and people with disabilities.

District 5 Regional Coordinator Yesenia DeCasaus was named Assembly District 37 Woman of the Year by Assemblymember Monique Limon for all of her work championing the rights of home care workers and women across the state of California.

Responding to the needs of thousands of UDW members and clients who use cannabis for relief, UDW took the bold step of sponsoring legislation to increase access to safe, legal cannabis in the 77% of California counties that have banned dispensaries. UDW District 4 Chair Florence Crowson represented our members in legislative testimony in April.

Honoring our child care campaign as one of the largest union organizing drives in the country, leaders of the California Labor Federation asked CCPU-UDW member Alicia Turner to speak at their convention on our historic efforts. “There’s no turning back,” Alicia told the crowd, quoting labor leader Cesar Chavez. “We will win. We are winning because ours is a revolution of mind and heart.”

May 1 is recognized as the International Day of the Worker, so we joined our friends in the labor movement for a rally and celebration at the California State Capitol that focused on the work UDW is doing to organize family child care workers. CCPU-UDW member Charlotte Neal let the crowd know that family child care providers are ready to fight for a better child care system in this state: “Today, we are going to do what providers do best. We will take all of our energy and…turn it into something positive.”

UDW members stood with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as he announced the state was filing a lawsuit to protect California IHSS providers against a federal attack on our ability to have our union dues deducted from our paychecks.

Our Imperial members voted YES on a new contract that included a raise to $12.40 an hour (upon ratification), $13.40 an hour on January 1, 2020, and $14.40 an hour on January 1, 2021. Because the contract also included more funding for health care, more of our Imperial members were able to access coverage.

Orange County UDW members for voted YES on a new contract that included a raise to $12.25 an hour (upon ratification), $13.50 an hour on January 1, 2020, $14.50 an hour on January 1, 2021, and $15.50 an hour on January 1, 2022. The contract also provided for safety supplies (e.g., non-latex gloves, disinfectants, hand sanitizers, masks, etc.) in the amount of $30,000 dollars through June 30, 2022.

Gov. Newsom and the legislature finalized a budget deal that included UDW-sponsored legislation allocating $1 million dollars to study long-term care needs. However, the state failed to end the 7 percent cut to IHSS hours permanently.

“Much more will need to be done to ensure a future where every Californian has the care they need to live a full and well life, in comfort and dignity,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore in a statement. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and legislature to make that future a reality.”

The summer BBQ season started as local UDW offices organized gatherings to feed and uplift each other in parks across the state. Nothing like a cold drink and the warm company of other IHSS families to remember why we do what we do!

In 2018, we sponsored a bill to help family child care providers who struggle to get paid accurately and on time from subsidy programs. On July 1, 2019, AB 603 went into effect giving child care providers, among other benefits, the right to direct deposit regardless of what county they live and work in.

Acting on our beliefs to support every family, our Orange County members joined other community groups to speak out against DHS detention centers and to advocate for immigrant safety in our community.

To ensure our issues are addressed in the 2020 election, UDW members joined other AFSCME unions in Las Vegas for a question and answer session with candidates for U.S. President. Top of our minds? Pay, of course. “I serve the working poor, and I am also the working poor,” said CCPU-UDW member Miren Algorri.

With the passing and signing of AB 392, California now has one of the toughest police use-of-force bills in the country. UDW signed on as co-sponsor of this groundbreaking legislation for a simple reason: nearly half of all people killed by police are people with disabilities. Many of our members came forward to give deeply-felt testimony as the bill moved through the legislative process. “As we work toward accountability for my mother’s death, the passage of AB 392 gives me hope,” said Hali McKelvie, who was present for the bill signing and whose mother, UDW member Myra Micalizio, was shot by police during a mental health crisis. “We can never get my mother back, but we can help save other families from this pain.”

Our Orange and San Diego offices hosted health fairs where members and our families could receive some basic health care services and connect with health care resources available to our communities.

AB 5 signed: Thanks to the support of working people up and down the state, AB 5, which protects workers from being misclassified, was signed into law. UDW members helped make this important law a reality by joining other union members to lobby at the state capitol and organizing in our home counties.

As part of our commitment to helping build a sustainable, person-centered long-term care system, UDW and our allies in California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA) held a forum for legislators and other stakeholders to build awareness and explore solutions to the growing care crisis.

UDW family child care providers—and working people statewide—one a HUGE victory when Gov. Newsom signed our bill, AB 378. This groundbreaking legislation gives California family child care providers full union rights for the first time. We fought for 16 years for full union rights and the celebration was sweet. CCPU-UDW members will now be able to sit down at the table with the state as full partners and bargain over reimbursement rates and issues essential to the future of child care in California.

Butte is one of the counties where we are turning up the heat on boards of supervisors who won’t budge on negotiating an IHSS contract that includes a pay raise. So, in one of many BOS actions throughout the state this year, our Butte members turned out to demand ACTION.

The success of AB 911 was thanks to the tireless work of our Executive Vice President, Astrid Zuniga, who shepherded this important legislation aimed at keeping people with disabilities safer. The new law, named The Manny Alert Act in honor of Astrid’s son Manny, is step toward a California where first responders know more about our loved ones with disabilities and are better prepared to protect them during times of emergency.

Another contract win this year took place in Riverside County, where UDW members ratified an agreement with the county that gave Riverside providers an additional 25-cent raise when the minimum wage went up to $13 an hour on Jan. 1. Another 25-cent raise will be added to workers’ pay when the minimum wage rises to $14 an hour on Jan. 1, 2021, bring workers’ total hourly wage to $14.50. The contract also nearly eliminated the health care wait list in Riverside County, bringing health insurance to over 3,000 providers there!

The celebrating over our new child care union rights continued into October with an event in Los Angeles where CCPU members hosted special guests Gov. Newsom, AFSCME International President Lee Saunders and SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. “For too long, you’ve been overworked and undervalued,” said Saunders. “For too long, you were denied a seat at the table,” he continued. “Now, you have the opportunity to stand together, to speak up together, to build power together in a strong union.”

The success of our 16-year campaign to win full union rights for family child care providers wasn’t just a victory for our members: As one of the largest union organizing drives in the country, we are building power for the whole labor movement. Our friends at the Sacramento Central Labor Council showed their respect for our hard work by honoring us with an organizing award at their annual “Salute to Labor” dinner. CCPU-UDW provider Charlotte Neal spoke for all of us as she accepted the award: “Child care providers are in the labor movement to stay!”

We were sad to learn of the passing of one of UDW’s original founders, Fahari Jeffers. In 1977, Fahari and her husband, Ken Seaton-Msemaji, formed the UDW organizing committee under the mentorship of Cesar Chavez. With the signing of our first contract in 1979, UDW became one of the few unions ever to be founded by people of color. “With the founding of the United Domestic Workers, Fahari and Ken helped open the door of the American labor movement to women and people of color—the people who needed it most,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said. “That contribution will always be remembered. On behalf of UDW, I extend my deepest condolences to Fahari’s family and to all those whose lives she touched.”

November is a special time for UDW when we take time to recognize and celebrate caregivers for everything we do for our clients, our families and our communities. Thousands of members gathered at annual Provider Appreciation Dinners all over the state and shared food, fun and support. From doing the Macarena in San Diego to playing balloon-race games in El Dorado, we took some time to let loose and remind each other: We are here for each other and we are stronger together.

We faced new caregiving challenges as Public Safety Power Shutoffs became the new normal during fire season. But we are facing this problem head-on by advising the state on how to keep seniors and people with disabilities safe—and advocating for compensation for folks who’ve been financially impacted by the outages.

Our central coast members scored a win after negotiating a pay raise. The wage increases IHSS provider pay to $13.77 an hour beginning in February 2020. In January 2021, the wages will increase to $14.77 an hour. The contract also includes an additional 20 cents per hour toward Santa Barbara providers health care.

We were out in force in the city of San Francisco, knocking on providers’ doors and signing up new family child care providers to our movement. Excitement is building for our CCPU union election next year—everybody wants to join our movement and be part of making a better future for California families!

Our members are turning up the heat on counties that don’t want to invest in the future of home care. We ended the year in Bakersfield by putting the Kern County Board of Supervisors on notice that everybody deserves the right to home care—and the only way to guarantee that right is to pay providers enough to keep doing their jobs.

Whew! It’s been a busy year. But if you think UDW members accomplished a lot in 2019, just wait for next year! We will be pushing statewide to strengthen the IHSS program and win better wages in our counties that don’t have current contracts, fighting for unemployment insurance for family caregivers, and getting involved in local, state and federal elections to make sure caregivers and our families get the representation we deserve.

Get involved! Call your local office to find out ways that you can make a difference. Alone, caregivers may be strong, but together we are unstoppable!

Which lawmakers were in solidarity with seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, and working families in 2019?

Every year, UDW scores the California legislature and the governor on their support of policies that impact home care recipients and providers. We also total the overall career scores of our elected leaders to acknowledge those who have consistently supported providers and our IHSS clients. Find out how your lawmakers scored by clicking on the booklet below.

Increased risk of deadly wildfires is becoming our new reality in California. Because many fires are sparked by aging power infrastructure, massive power shut-offs are becoming a reality, too. Hopefully, the state will find long-term ways to address the situations that lead to fires and power shut-offs. Until then, we all need to take extra precautions—especially those of us who care for seniors and people with disabilities, who are sadly the most likely to be injured or die in a power shut-off or fire.

An important precaution you can take right now is to get on your power company’s “Medical Baseline” list. All customers are billed a residential rate set by a “Baseline Allowance” depending on climate zones and seasons. Additional allowances are made for customers who rely on life support equipment, have life-threatening illnesses or compromised immune systems.

Being on the Medical Baseline list may save you money, but it can also save your or your client’s life: Currently, power companies are using the Medical Baseline list as a guide to which customers may need advance or personalized notification such as door knocks in event of a power shut off.

Some of the equipment and conditions that may qualify a household for Medical Baseline:

To learn more about Medical Baseline eligibility, check with your local power company at the websites below:

As a union of caregivers, UDW is dedicated to protecting our members and clients during these events. We are advocating in Sacramento for better emergency planning and resources for the functional needs population—and for us to be compensated for the spoiled food and lost hours during evacuations and shut offs. We will keep you updated on any developments. In the meantime, please check your Medical Baseline status and help keep your client and family safer.

In townhalls across the nation, citizens are making their voices heard when it comes to the incredibly high costs of prescription drug prices in the United States. During a recent press conference, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi remarked on the impact of seeing “grown men cry” when telling stories about not being able to afford the lifesaving medicine their spouse or child needs.

We’ve heard these stories too. As home care providers, we know the constant struggle to get health care in California, long waitlists and unreasonable prescription drug prices that seemingly increase every year make it hard, or even impossible for our clients, and ourselves, to get the medicine we need.

That’s why UDW is supporting HR 3, Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. This bill, currently in the House of Representatives, would greatly reduce prescription drug prices. This bill would lower beneficiaries’ premiums by $6 billion, reduce their out-of-pocket costs by $25 billion, and according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, would lower drug prices in the commercial market.

Medicare is a confusing and complex system that oftentimes forces the financial burden on us, the patients. HR 3 would simplify this system and place a cap on out-of-pocket expenses and make prescription drugs more affordable.

While this legislation is likely to pass the House with ease, it will be a struggle to get it through the Senate, and this is why we need your help!

Call 866-957-9069 and tell your Congressperson to do the right thing and pass HR 3.

We are sad to report the passing of one of UDW’s founders, Fahari Jeffers. In 1977, Fahari and her husband, Ken Seaton-Msemaji, formed the UDW organizing committee under the mentorship of Cesar Chavez. The group believed organizing domestic workers was naturally connected to Chavez’ work with farm workers as both workforces were primarily women, people of color and immigrants who were not then visible in the labor movement. With the signing of our first contract in 1979, UDW became one of the few unions ever to be founded by people of color. From an initial membership of 150, UDW grew to 70,000 by the time Fahari and Ken left the union to pursue other activism in 2005.

A San Diego native who believed strongly in the power of education, Fahari began attending San Diego City College when she was 16 and went on to receive a BA from San Diego State University when she was twenty. She went on to earn a law degree and a master’s degree in public administration.

In 2018, Fahari was inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame. Upon learning of the honor, she told the San Diego Union Tribune: “It’s an honor as a woman and it’s an honor as an African-American woman. There are many women who make groundbreaking, enormous contributions to our community that we will never meet or hear of, and I want them to know that their work is valued and recognized and that it has made a difference.”

UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said the lasting impact of Fahari’s work lives on in UDW today. “With the founding of the United Domestic Workers, Fahari and Ken helped open the door of the American labor movement to women and people of color—the people who needed it most,” Moore said. “That contribution will always be remembered. On behalf of UDW, I extend my deepest condolences to Fahari’s family and to all those whose lives she touched.”

On September 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 378, our bill to fix California’s broken child care system. With that stroke of the pen, family child care providers got our collective bargaining rights and the tools we need to make positive changes for ourselves, our families and the children we care for. Also known as the Building a Better Early Care and Education System Act, AB 378 will finally put decision-making power into the hands of those who know child care best: family child care providers.

This landmark legislation grants family child care providers collective bargaining rights, which means that, should we choose union representation in an election next year, all 40,000 of us get to negotiate with the state as one united voice when it comes to things like subsidy rates and slots, and how we are reimbursed. It also means that we get to use our combined voices to advocate for changes that will make our state’s child care system work better for providers, families, and the children we care for.

This is a fight we have been waging for sixteen years, and it was a moment to savor. On October 24, Governor Newsom joined CCPU members, AFSCME international president Lee Saunders and SEIU international president Mary Kay Henry for a celebration in Los Angeles of our new rights and status.

CCPU-UDW member Charlotte Neal addressed the crowd and explained how important this victory is. “This is a great day for childcare providers and the kids we take care of,” she said. “We are mostly women and mostly people of color. Now we are taking control of our destinies and are read to fix this broken child care system. Every Californian is going to benefit from what we accomplished with AB 378.”

“You did it!” President Saunders congratulated us in his remarks. “You provide a safe place for our youngest children to learn, to flourish, to grow…I don’t think there is any job that matters more than that,” he said. “For too long, you have been overlooked, for too long you have been undervalued, for too long you have been overworked. Well, that stops today!”

People all over the country have been talking about our victory on AB 378 for a good reason: California has the largest economy in the country. In fact, if California was its own country, we would be the fifth largest economy in the world. When this state makes a big move to make the economy more fair for working people, it is big news. We are showing the world what can be done when family child care providers get together and leading the way for providers in other states.

Our celebration moment was just that: a moment. We have too much work to do to stop for long. Our new collective bargaining rights are the most powerful tool we’ve ever had but, like any tool, it is up to us to use it to build something amazing. So as soon as the ink was dry on AB 378, we went right back to work. In October we knocked on doors all over the state, talking to family child care providers, hearing their stories, and making plans for what we can do together. Soon, we expect to be able to file for our union election, which would then take place in 2020. We will be working together over the next six months to talk to child care providers across the state to vote YES for union representation so we are able to use these newly won rights.

Thousands of providers have joined our movement and, for every provider that adds their voice, we get a little bit stronger. Now, with the strongest voice we’ve ever had, we are ready to speak our truths to everyone who needs to hear us. Thanks to AB 378 we can now fight for better pay, more benefits, and a better subsidized care system. But first we need to come together by joining our union, CCPU-UDW. There’s never been a better time —you definitely want to be a part of what comes next!

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

This year we successfully fought to protect our privacy in the implementation of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), a federally-mandated program that requires IHSS providers to electronically report certain aspects of the care we provide to our clients each day.

Recently, the federal government issued new guidelines that put California’s planned implementation of EVV in jeopardy. Here’s what we know right now:

UDW has fought EVV from the beginning and will continue to fight any policies that infringe on the civil and privacy rights of caregivers and our clients. The work we do is hard enough without having to add extra work or feel like someone is watching us. We will continue to update you as we work to settle the EVV issue once and for all.

I hope this autumn is finding you and your family healthy and safe. With the arrival of fire season, many of us have been challenged by power shut-offs, evacuations and dangerous air quality. This is an especially challenging time for the caregiving community, and it is more important than ever that you take advantage of the power of your union to stay in touch, stay informed, and stay out of danger. Please know that we are working with the state to ensure that IHSS clients are including in every disaster plan. You can find out more about how to keep you and your client safe at www.response.ca.gov.

Another way to stay connected to the UDW community is by celebrating Caregiver Appreciation Month! Every November, UDW members come together for provider appreciation dinners to celebrate each other and honor the work we do. Check with your local office to find your provider appreciation dinner. I hope to see you there!

I joined our District 2 leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 2 members.

I joined our District 7 leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

Finance Committee members and I convened to carry out our fiduciary duty to our union.

I celebrated with the graduates of our District 3 Leadership Academy, a program that helps develop members into member-leaders.

I presided over this regular meeting of our elected leaders and senior staff at our San Diego headquarters.

I joined members from all over the state and our allies from other unions in a rally at the California State Capitol for a rally in support of AB 5, a bill (now a law) that would keep employers from misclassifying workers.

I joined our District 7 leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I assisted District 7 members achieve their goals and objectives by meeting each Local Board member individually to help build their leadership and skills.

I attended this conference to advocate for California IHSS providers and our clients who are impacted by Juvenile Arthritis and to carry out my duties as planning committee chair for San Diego Arthritis Foundation and planning committee member for the national conference.

I joined our District 7 Local Board leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I assisted District 1 members achieve their goals and objectives by meeting with each Local Board member and the District chair individually to help build their leadership and skills.

I joined our Riverside members and statewide leaders in a ceremony to commemorate the opening of our new member space in that district.

I celebrated with the graduates of our District 5 Leadership Academy, a program that helps develop members into member-leaders.

I assisted District 5 members achieve their goals and objectives by meeting with the District chair individually to help build leadership skills.

I led a delegation of our Executive Board and other members to ensure candidates for President of the United States understand the struggles of home care and child care providers.

I assisted District 3 members achieve their goals and objectives by meeting with Local Board member individually to help build their leadership and skills.

I joined our District 1 Councils leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 1 members.

I attended this annual gathering to meet and enjoy fellowship with members and to sign up 25 members for upcoming UDW Councils meetings.

I attended this annual gathering in District 4 to meet and enjoy fellowship with members and to sign up members for upcoming UDW Councils meetings.

District 7 Civil and Human Rights Coalition and Health and Welfare council meeting, August 12

I attended this quarterly meeting to assist the members there to carry out their duties and to introduce the chairperson of the councils.

I attended these meetings to assist the District 4 Vice President introduce the UDW councils.

I assisted District 4 members achieve their goals and objectives by meeting with leaders individually to help build their leadership and skills.

I attended this meeting where the District 5 Local Board planned for an upcoming member meeting and candidate endorsements.

I joined our District 3 Local Board and UDW Councils leaders to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 3 members.

I attended this annual gathering in District 4 to meet and enjoy fellowship with our members there.

I joined our District 7 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I represented California and IHSS providers in this national gathering of those impacted by arthritis.

I presided over this regular meeting of our elected leaders and senior staff at our Sacramento office.

I assisted the District 5 Vice-Chair lead this meeting of regular member business due to the health-related absence of the chair.

I attended and welcomed our attendees to our health fair, which provides vital screenings and other health services to members of our community who need this care.

I represented Southern California and our IHSS community at this gathering of advocates for those impacted by arthritis.

I joined our District 7 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members.

I joined our District 3 Local Board to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 3 members.

I joined our District 7 Council to assist them in carrying out their duties and responsibilities for District 7 members

I attended this meeting to assist our San Diego members set priorities and strategies for our contract there.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) annual convention, October 21- 23

I attended the annual convention of this important organization of advocates for seniors for whom I serve as vice president.

In partnership with Governor Gavin Newsom, UDW is communicating the following resources to help our clients and loved ones stay safe in the event of planned public safety power shut offs.

Individuals with immediate health situations should call 9-1-1. For nonemergency situations, a hotline has been established to help medically vulnerable Californians and health and community care facilities find resources in their community during power shutoffs.

The hotline is 833-284-3473. During power shutoffs or potential power shutoffs, hotline assistance will be available 9:00am-9:00pm. Assistance is available in many languages. 711 Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) are available for individuals with hearing or speech related disabilities. You can find more information on 711 TRS.

Individuals with access and functional needs can download a template Personal Emergency Plan to prepare and be ready in the event they lose power. Having a plan is important for any emergency. View the Personal Emergency Plan. The Personal Emergency Plan is also available in Spanish.

The Department of Public Health has developed an Emergency Supply Kit Checklist. While there are many things that might make an individual more comfortable, folks should first think about fresh water, food and clean air.

Individuals should be reminded that if their prescription medications are low to get their refills prior to a public safety power shutoff, if possible. We have developed aPharmacy Drug Guide. The Pharmacy Drug Guide is also available in Spanish.

Individuals with home medical devices should have a plan in place for how to operate their devices during a power outage. View the guide developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Food Banks throughout California can provide relief to families affected by the wildfires by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Locate a food bank in your area.

If you have questions or feel you need further assistance, please call our Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016 and we will do our best to assist you.

Further resources

No one would think of running a NASA space launch without listening to the astronauts and technicians who know how to make a flight plan. But when it comes to the child care system that literally shapes the future for the next generation, California has spent decades shutting out the voices of child care providers.

That is finally about to change after 16 years of organizing by dedicated child care providers like my mom, and now me. We’ve created our union, met with elected officials, and have earned our seat at the table with the State of California thanks to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature on the Building a Better Early Care and Education System Act by Assemblymember Monique Limón just last week.

Our victory makes history in California and it shows marginalized workers across the country that they have the power to fight back and get stronger when they stand together in union. With 40,000 family child care providers now able to hold an election to choose their union, a workforce that is mainly black, brown and Asian women who care for the children of some of the state’s lowest paid workers are now part of the largest organizing movement in the nation.

UDW-sponsored law is a first step towards making sure first responders have important information about people with disabilities in advance of an emergency

For those of us that care for a client with cognitive or developmental disabilities, interactions with law enforcement can be fraught with worry. Will the police misunderstand unexpected behaviors as threatening and respond with force? Will they understand a person with dementia is easily lost and frightened? We all want to be able to trust authorities when we call 911, but there are so many police encounters with people like our clients that can go terribly wrong.

That’s why UDW sponsored AB 911, a bill that puts the wheels in motion for the state to study the feasibility and cost of updating our state 911 system to allow people to voluntarily provide important information about themselves or a family member, such as calming techniques or behaviors they exhibit when agitated. The information would be attached to a phone number—the home phone or a parent’s cell phone—and would be sent to the first responder when a 911 call came from that number. With this information in hand, first responders will arrive on the scene prepared to identify and understand behaviors that may seem unusual to them so that they can focus on the person in need.

Once our bill moved to the governor’s desk, UDW members like Gretchen Gunzel of Irvine, CA took to the phones to convince Governor Newsom to sign it into law.

Gretchen cares for two sons with autism and ADHD and has been trying to find answers for this very situation. “I have been going to our local city police department for the last couple of years, asking them what I can do to help them know more about my two boys in the event there is an emergency and I am not there to help protect and interact with first responders,” she said.“Their continued response is ‘Don’t worry…our officers are trained and your boys will be ok!’ So frustrating!”

Called “The Manny Alert Act”, AB 911 is named in honor of UDW Executive Vice President Astrid Zuniga’s son, Manuel. Manny is 20 years-old, autistic and non-verbal. Astrid has made protecting the safety of Manny and others like him her life’s work. AB 911 is a law because of the countless hours Astrid spent walking the halls of the capitol, telling Manny’s story, and encouraging other members to join her.

“AB 911 brings us another step closer to saving the lives of people with cognitive and developmental disabilities,” Astrid said. “I’m proud of my union for sponsoring the Manny Alert Act and helping me work for its passage. And I’m proud of Manny. His spirit and resilience inspires me and everyone who meets him to work for a better world where we all are safe and treasured as we are.”

UDW member killed by police highlighted at Governor’s bill signing ceremony

On April 26, 2018, the Butte County Sheriff’s Department responded to a complaint of a woman acting erratically. Myra Micalizio, a 56-year-old UDW member who served elderly and disabled people in her community as a caregiver, had wandered into a neighbor’s yard while experiencing a mental health crisis. Within 20 seconds of encountering the unarmed woman, deputies had fired their weapons 13 times, inflicting lethal injuries upon the woman everyone describes as kind, gentle and childlike.

Myra was one of 115 people killed by police in California in 2018—29 of whom are known to have lived with mental illness. With California having one of the weakest police use-of-force standards in the country, it was time to consider giving police the training and tools to de-escalate these types of encounters and to hold them accountable when they use deadly force as a first, not last, resort. As a union founded by people of color in 1977 and currently consisting of mostly women and people of color who live in over-policed communities, UDW members knew this was our fight and we took it on. And, because nearly half of people killed by police are people with physical, developmental or cognitive disabilities or mental illness, we knew it was our moral duty to highlight the special danger that people with disabilities face in police encounters.

This year we signed on as a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 392, a bill authored by Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, that is designed to reduce the number of unnecessary killings of unarmed civilians by police. As we fought for this landmark legislation, Myra’s memory and her senseless death were always top-of-mind. She was one of us, and we looked to her gentle spirit to guide us. We joined activists and impacted family members from all over the state who have stepped forward to share stories of how their loved ones, like Myra, were lost in a police encounter gone horribly wrong. Thanks to the hard work of UDW, our allies, and the many impacted families who shared their pain, AB 392 passed through the Legislature and was signed into law on by Governor Gavin Newsom on August 19.

Myra’s daughter, Hali McKelvie, stood at Governor Newsom’s side as he signed the bill and was one of two impacted family members invited to speak at the bill signing ceremony. Looking out at the crowd of over a hundred people who had lost a loved one to police violence, Hali spoke movingly to the pain of losing her mother to police violence and her hopes that AB 392 would save others from similar trauma.

“On April 26, 2018, my family, myself, my mother and her legacy, became part of a club that nobody wants a membership to,” Hali said. “My woman was a woman of her faith. She was dedicated to our family, her friends, her animals and, most importantly, her community. She never failed to see the good in life.”

Hali said it was impossible to know if having a law like AB 392, which gives California one of the strongest use-of-force standards in the country, could have saved her mother. But she said she hoped the selfless work done by impacted families by sharing their grief could inspire lasting change.

“My hope going forward from today is that accountability will be served, that communities can start to heal, that transparency will come through and that everybody – the citizens of this state, members of their communities and our lawmakers, everyone – comes together to change the system,” she said.

Hali said passage of AB 392 is only the beginning of the path to ending unnecessary police violence and implored us all to work tirelessly to do honor to the life of Myra and others like her by ensuring the promise of this law is fulfilled as it is enacted and enforced.

“Because [then] my mother’s life and the lives of many others who were killed before her and were killed after her will not be in vain,” Hali said. “Our loved ones are going to go forward and have the impact that we all desire.”

You’ve probably heard a lot about Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), the new federal law that says every state must monitor caregivers in Medicaid-funded programs like IHSS or lose significant funding. A lot of providers and clients have rightly been nervous about what that might mean for our privacy, so UDW has been working with the state for the past two years to ensure that California complies with the EVV law in a way that is minimally burdensome to providers and clients.

With the input of UDW providers and others in the IHSS community, California came up with a system that would be based on the existing electronic timesheet system (with a landline phone option for those of us who prefer to communicate that way). With a pilot project that started this year in Los Angeles and rolling out statewide throughout 2020, California’s IHSS EVV program plan requires no electronic surveillance, no “real time” reporting and no detailed descriptions of what services were provided. To guarantee our privacy was protected, UDW sponsored budget legislation this year that added these protections into state law.

The federal government in Washington, however, surprised the caregiving community in early August by issuing guidelines that call into question California’s plans by stating that web-based EVV programs would be unacceptable.

The guidelines also said that EVV would NOT be required of live-in providers. This is certainly welcome news for the approximately half of California’s IHSS providers who live with their clients, but as this is the first time the government has stated this, it is too soon to know if those of us who live with our clients are off the EVV hook.

These are confusing developments and you may be hearing alarming or conflicting things about EVV online or from other providers, so we wanted to update you with the facts as they stand right now:

There are a lot of unknowns at this point but this much is clear: UDW has fought EVV from the beginning and will continue to fight any policies that infringe on the civil and privacy rights of caregivers and their clients The work we do is hard enough without having to add extra work or feel like someone is watching us. We will continue to update you as we work to settle the EVV issue once and for all.

Bill co-sponsor UDW applauds new law strengthening California’s police use-of-force standard

SACRAMENTO — With today signing of AB 392 by Governor Gavin Newsom, California now has one of the strongest police use-of-force standards in the country. These standards are necessary to keep people with disabilities safer when they encounter law enforcement.

United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union of 110,000 home care providers, co-sponsored AB 392, authored by Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber, and worked diligently to ensure that the rights and experiences of people with disabilities were included in crafting and passing this landmark legislation.

“On behalf of our members and the clients we care for, we want to thank Assemblymember Shirley Weber for her courage, perseverance and wisdom as she worked to make AB 392 a reality. We also want to express our deep gratitude to the family members of those killed by police who came forward to share their pain and loss. We’d also like to thank Governor Newsom, Senate pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon for building consensus for AB 392,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “Though much remains to be done to stop unnecessary police killings, AB 392 gives us new tools to expect greater accountability from law enforcement. We will remain vigilant in demanding that accountability.”

UDW’s co-sponsorship of AB 392 reflects the fact that many UDW members are people of color and their families live in over-policed communities that have grieved far too many lives lost to unnecessary police killings. It also reflects that, as caregivers, UDW members are committed to protecting the human and civil rights of people with disabilities — a group that makes up nearly half of people killed by police.

UDW members and their families are counted among these deaths. In 2018, Butte County UDW member Myra Micalizio was killed by police responding to a trespassing call. Myra, who cared for seniors in her community, was experiencing a mental health crisis. The police report says officers began firing their weapons 15-30 seconds after arriving on the scene.

“As we work toward accountability for my mother’s death, the passage of AB 392 gives me hope,” said Myra’s daughter Hali McKelvie, who was present for the bill signing. “We can never get my mother back, but we can help save other families from this pain.”

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a home care union representing 110,000 in-home caregivers in 21 counties throughout California. UDW caregivers provide critical personal care services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence.

About 30 members of the United Domestic Workers union, all wearing bright-green T-shirts, showed up to politely urge the county supervisors to show more flexibility at the bargaining table. The union represents about 3,000 in-home caregivers throughout Santa Barbara County who are currently paid $12.10 an hour. “That’s just 10 cents above minimum wage,” noted union spokesperson Yesenia Decasaus.

If anyone can call themselves an expert in Early Childhood Education, it’s CCPU-UDW member Pat Alexander. She’s been a childcare provider for 49 years, has multiple accreditations and has served on many child care boards. She’s also been active since 2002 organizing and advocating for her union of family child care providers.

Pat’s expertise has shown her that their years spent in childcare will affect kids in profound ways.

“Children’s brains are developing at an amazing rate during the first five years of their lives,” Pat says. “The experiences they have during those crucial years will shape their lives and their futures. And family child care providers are an important part of shaping these young minds.”

With the future on the line, child care providers are performing critical work benefits everyone in our society, not just the families we serve. But our pay doesn’t reflect our value.

“The professionals like me tasked with building these young minds make an average of $8 an hour,” Pat says. “We struggle to pay our own bills and to care for our own families. We sacrifice a lot in order to work with these children and families. We lose good quality providers and early childhood teachers who must leave this field for other work. It’s a shame.”

Alexander Preschool and Child Care in Elk Grove is the kind of place parents feel good about dropping their kids. Developmentally-appropriate play stations in bright colors await young imaginations and Pat maintains a friendly sense of order where learning and cooperation thrive. But, as fulfilling as Pat’s work is, it is hardly lucrative.

“We do this work because we love it. We want to give children the best start possible,” she says. “But I work 50 to 55 hours a week with the children in my program. After business expenses, my husband and I reported a combined $24,000 taxable income last year. That works out to about $4 per hour each.”

California will never recruit all the quality providers we need at $4 an hour. That’s why Pat joined CCPU-UDW: to fix California’s broken childcare system. She has travelled to the state capitol to attend rallies and hearings to pass AB 378, our bill that would recognize collective bargaining rights to family child care providers.

“Collective bargaining will give providers a platform to lift ourselves up,” Pat says. “It will allow us to advocate for long-overdue improvements and improve accessfor hundreds of thousands of parents who rely on childcare. And it will keep family childcare providers in the profession they love and attract more high-quality talent into the early childhood education field.”

For someone like Pat who has been in the field for 49 years and knows change must come sooner than later, there has never been a better time than now for providers to get their collective bargaining rights and take their seat at the table.

“We’ve been fighting for this for 15 years and we can’t wait any longer,” Pat says.

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

This summer is going fast! I hope you have been able to spend time with friends and family and are staying safe and cool.

This past quarter we swore in our new UDW Executive Board. ( www.udwa.org/our-leaders/ ) There are some new face as well as seasoned board members who bring many decades of caregiver wisdom to the job of governing our union. Our 2019 election also included local district officers who carry out union duties and responsibilities within each of the districts. Together, we are a committed group of leaders ready to move our union boldly into the future.

Electing our leadership is what makes us a special organization. We are a member led union; caregivers helping caregivers. The elections we hold every three years allow every member of this union to have a say in the direction and priorities of UDW. And they ensure that UDW keeps its mission focused on the lives of caregivers and our families.

But participating in your union isn’t just about elections; we have so many ways to be involved in UDW. Contact your local office or come to a meeting. Remember, we are in this together!

I presided over this ceremony in San Diego to swear in the elected officers of our union. In District 1, we welcomed new Vice Presidents Fernando Valezquez and Nicanora Montenegro.

I also presided over the officer swearing in ceremony in Riverside, with a team led by returning District 3 Vice President Rosa Beltran with new vice chair Desmond Prescott.

The swearings-in continued in Orange County, where returning vice president Christine Nguyen will be joined by Angie Nguyen as co-chair.

I joined my fellow UDW Executive Board members on these calls to carry out timely and necessary business of the union.

I attended this meeting to help train our District 1 local board on their duties and responsibilities for our members there.

I led the UDW team as we worked with our allies in the labor movement on strategies to better the lives of all working people.

I traveled to our northern counties to preside over the swearing-in of our local leadership team, led by returning vice president, William Reed.

I swore in our central valley elected leaders in Merced, who will once again be led by vice president Florence Crowson.

I participated in this UDW-sponsored fundraising event to find a cure for arthritis, a disease that affects so many of our members and clients.

I attended this meeting of our District 7 Local Board to help them carry out our duties and responsibilities to our Imperial members.

I joined the District 2 Local Board in their regular meeting to address the needs of their membership.

I presided over the swearing in of District 5 officers, who will be led by returning vice president Elva Munoz.

I attended this meeting of our District 4 Local Board to carry out our duties and responsibilities to our members there.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) lobby day and board meeting, May 20-23

I represent UDW members as a vice president of CARA and I participated in these activities to ensure that IHSS providers and clients are represented in CARA’s work. I am also on the planning committee for the 2019 CARA Convention.

I attended the JA conference to advocate for California’s IHSS providers, clients and families who are impacted by this disease. Our union has supported the conference’s sponsor, the Arthritis Foundation, for almost five years. We also support the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk to Cure Arthritis in the summer and Jingle Bell Run in the winter.

I serve as the planning committee chair for the San Diego Arthritis Foundation and planning committee member for the National JA Conference. I also volunteer for the foundation’s Advocacy in Action program, helping IHSS recipients from California advocate for change in Washington, D.C.

Every three years, UDW members like you vote for our union’s new Executive Board, the team of caregivers who are responsible for setting our union’s goals and planning for our future. That means fighting for better wages and benefits, protecting caregiver rights against antiunion threats and growing our union, and ensuring that the home care program is here for our clients and loved ones for years to come.

This year, our board has expanded to reflect our growing membership, and I am honored to continue in my role as UDW President. Thank you, and meet the rest of the 2019-2021 executive board!

All over the state, UDW members are turning out to show elected officials that the work we do is vital and deserving of a living wage, because caregivers need to take care of our families and pay our bills on time, too! And even though the fight for dignity and respect is long and hard, we never give up! In Orange County, we just won a new contract with a pay raise after FIVE YEARS of the county telling us no. Our IHSS providers in OC will now earn $12.25 an hour with their pay going up to $13.50 on January 1, 2020 and wages going up $1 a year until reaching $15.50 in 2022.

We’re putting the pressure on every county where elected officials don’t want to raise wages for caregivers and are stalling on IHSS contract negotiations. In Riverside in June, hundreds of UDW caregivers rallied to send the message that our members there will not take “no” for an answer either. And we are turning up the heat in Merced, Placer, Butte and El Dorado, right now, too, joining together and raising our voices so counties know that we will not be silenced, and we will not quit.

As IHSS providers, the work we do is so important for our clients and our communities. But it also saves the counties money by keeping our clients out of expensive institutional care. If you want to find out more about the IHSS contract in your county and how you can get involved visit www.udwa.org or call your local UDW office today.

Paper paychecks are going away in 2021 – make the switch today!

Ever wait days or weeks for your IHSS paycheck to arrive? Many of us have, and late paychecks can cause all kinds of trouble. But by switching to direct deposit, not only do we avoid paper paycheck delays, we also receive our IHSS pay up to three days faster, straight to our bank accounts or our prepaid debit cards.

And soon, the State of California is going to require all IHSS providers to receive our pay via direct deposit or payroll card. The new rule was written into this year’s budget, which was passed and signed by the governor in June. Mandatory IHSS electronic payment will go into effect on July 1, 2021. If you’re already on direct deposit, good news! You don’t need to do anything. But if you aren’t, you should begin planning for the change now.

You can find out more about direct deposit, the UDW U.S. Bank Focus Card, or any other questions you may have about IHSS and your union member benefits. Check out the UDW website at www.udwa.org/directdeposit or call the UDW Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016.

Don’t wait until the last minute to make the switch to direct deposit. You’ll be glad you did!

Charlotte Neal runs a near 24-hour child care in Sacramento. She has kids being dropped off and picked up in the wee hours of the morning. In an economy where not everyone works nine-to-five–where people work as delivery drivers, restaurant workers and nursing assistants–Charlotte provides an essential service.

“They need child care just as much as people who work during the day. I am there for them,” Charlotte says of the hardworking parents who trust her with their children.

But, she says, there’s more to her near-total availability than just being helpful.

“Honestly, I do 24 hours just to make it,” she says. “I can’t even imagine how hard it is for providers who don’t.

The problem for Charlotte, and family child care providers in every California county, is that the pay is too low to offer any real economic security. Alternative Payment programs reimburse providers for children who qualify for subsidized care, but providers are at the mercy of whatever those rates are.

“Twelve of the 14 kids in my care are on subsidy and I can tell you the reimbursement rates are just too low,” Charlotte says. “I come up short every single month. Every month I have to decide which bills I can pay and which I can’t.

“Am I going to pay for my health care this month? Or food and supplies for the day care? Or gas for pick up and drop off?”

Charlotte knew she couldn’t solve the problems of the state’s child care system by herself, so she joined her union, CCPU-UDW. Joining together with thousands of other family child care providers gave her a voice to get her concerns heard. It gave her a platform to develop her leadership. And it gave her a chance to change things for the better.

This year, Charlotte has led rallies, testified before committees at the California State Legislature and gone door-to-door all over the state to meet other child care providers. She has gone from being one provider struggling to be heard to a leader in the movement to lift up California’s child care workforce.

Now, as our bill to gain collective bargaining rights, AB 378, gets closer to becoming law, Charlotte reflects on how having a seat at the table with the state will help providers like her put their experience to work fixing our broken child care system.

“I’ve been a provider for 18 years and I’ve seen everything,” she says, “Taking care of kids is an adventure for sure, but I love it. Now we are ready to work with the state to make childcare work better for providers, families and the children we care for.”

Sylvia Carrasco, who grew up on the Central Coast and now lives in Los Banos, comes from a family that is steeped in Early Childhood Education. Her mother and her sisters are all child care providers. And Sylvia’s mother, like Sylvia herself, started out as a preschool teacher before moving to home-based care. For Sylvia, being a family child care provider is all about making a difference in her community.

“I always knew I wanted to work with women and children,” Sylvia says. “It’s a very rewarding job.”

Now Sylvia runs a 24-hour child care with nine total children in her care. She has kids being dropped off at one a.m and three a.m. and some that stay for 14 hours. All of the kids she cares for are on subsidy, which means dealing with the inconsistency and bureaucracy of the subsidy programs. Like many family child care providers, Sylvia has had problems getting paid on time, getting paid accurately, and being kept up-to-date on the eligibility status of children in her care.

“They didn’t want to pay,” Sylvia says. “They weren’t transparent until they had to be. It’s getting better. With the union it’s starting to shape up.”

Joining her union helped Sylvia meet other providers. She says she used to keep to herself, but now she has a network of people who know how she feels. And the union has made it easier for Sylvia, who is learning organizing and leadership skills from the union, to help other providers.

“You are going to be heard,” she says of the power of membership. “Together, we are one voice.”

Sylvia has raised two children of her own who are now 21 and 23. But she’s also had a hand in raising scores of other children over the years; many from infancy to thirteen years old. She knows she made a positive impact in their lives and helped them get a good start in life. And sometimes she gets the ultimate show of appreciation: kids who she cared for, now grown, bringing their own children to Sylvia’s child care.

“I get so happy when they come back and want me to watch their kids,” she says. “I’m passionate about my job. I take it seriously.”

SACRAMENTO-The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union of 110,000 California home care workers, issued the following statement regarding the California 2019-2020 Budget:

“The first budget signed by Governor Gavin Newsom gives us many reasons to be optimistic about the future of long-term care in California. This budget shows Assembly Speaker Rendon, Senate Pro Tem Atkins, and Governor Newsom clearly recognize that long-term care needs to be a top priority in the immediate future in order to avert a humanitarian disaster in which we are unable to meet the needs of our growing aging population.”

“We are especially thankful that the budget includes one-time funding of $1 million for an actuarial study of alternative ways to finance long-term care requested by UDW and our partners in the California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA). In coordination with the governor’s Master Plan for Aging, having an accurate picture of who will need care and how much that care will cost is crucial to creating the person-centered, affordable long-term care system we so desperately need. And for the first time ever, this budget creates a fiscal incentive for counties to invest in IHSS through good faith collective bargaining. After years of open contracts, this is an important step towards building a stable home care workforce.”

“We are disappointed however, that this budget does not permanently restore the 7 percent cut to IHSS hours, instead restoring the cut only through the next two years. Failing to remove the cut from statute “kicks the can down the road” and leaves IHSS providers and clients in a state of fear that, without constant vigilance, a cut could go back into effect. UDW will be come back to lawmakers next year to seek a permanent restoration.”

“This budget contains the seeds of a full-grown solution to the long-term care crisis, but much more will need to be done to ensure a future where every Californian has the care they need to live a full and well life, in comfort and dignity. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and legislature to make that future a reality.”

There’s an overwhelming demand for child care in California but not enough people who provide it. The industry is notorious for offering low pay and long hours. Several bills pending in the Legislature seek to address these problems, including one that would let in-home providers unionize.

It’s a measure that longtime in-home provider Pat Alexander is passionate about.

Alexander runs Alexander Preschool and Child Care out of her home in Elk Grove (Sacramento County). On a recent morning, a group of 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds work on getting their wiggles out before breakfast. The kids alternate between dancing around and falling to the ground in time with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

As the kids dance, Alexander, better known as Miss Pat, gets the food together in her small kitchen. When it’s time to eat, her husband, known as Mr. Ed, gets everyone settled at miniature tables and begins doling out waffles and sausages.

It’s fire season again in California, and we want to urge all of our members to go over their safety plans with their clients and families to make sure we all stay safe and secure. As you know, hundreds of our members in Butte County were evacuated from their homes last November during the Camp Fire. Many of them lost everything. And, as caregivers, it is especially sad for us to see that most of the 85 people who died in the Camp Fire were seniors. In fact, people over the age of 65 are at the greatest risk of dying in a fire.

There are fire safety rules for everyone you can find at www.readyforwildfire.org. But there are special things that caregivers can do to ensure our clients stay safe, especially our older clients:

It’s also important to remember that, because many deadly fires have been sparked by power lines, California power companies are now going to shut off power when the fire danger is very high. Identify backup charging methods for your phones and keep a written copy of emergency numbers and information. Stay safe!

SACRAMENTO – The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930) issued the following statement supporting California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order calling for a Master Plan for Aging:

“Because the care needs of California’s seniors and people with disabilities are currently not being fully met and the population of older adults is projected to grow by 4 million in the next decade, we welcome Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order calling for a Master Plan for Aging. As a union representing 110,000 workers who provide home care through California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, we are intimately aware of how many people do not get the care they need or spend themselves into poverty to qualify for it. And we are also aware that we will not fix the care crisis without lifting up and listening to the caregivers who provide crucial care services and yet are often paid so little they are unable to meet their own families’ needs.”

“We are in the midst of a growing long-term care crisis and there is simply no way to stop this looming humanitarian catastrophe without a plan that comprehensively restructures and reimagines how we fund and deliver long-term care. Governor Newsom’s executive order today is a bold step toward that plan and we look forward to working with him and other stakeholders to create a person-focused, sustainable and compassionate long-term care system where the dignity and wellness of every Californian is cherished and respected.”

-Doug Moore, Executive Director, United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930)

SACRAMENTO-In a move supported by the union co-sponsoring AB 1356, Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) moved the bill to the inactive file today. Ting plans to bring the bill, which is designed to increase consumer access as well as business opportunities in the developing legal cannabis market, back to the legislature next year.

According to United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), co-sponsor of the historic legislation, their members will continue to educate stakeholders and build support for this important legislation in the interim.

“As a union of 110,000 workers who provide home care to low-income seniors and people with disabilities, UDW members are dedicated to the comfort and dignity of our state’s most vulnerable residents—many of whom experience positive health outcomes through the use of cannabis products,” said Doug Moore, UDW Executive Director.

Access to those positive outcomes, however, is limited by location as 76 percent of local jurisdictions have banned legal dispensaries altogether. AB 1356 would address that lack of access by requiring jurisdictions whose residents voted in favor of statewide adult-use cannabis to permit a reasonable number of dispensaries. AB 1356 provides several avenues to preserve local control, most notably by exempting cities and counties that did not support Proposition 64 from issuing licenses.

Currently, the constrained and uncertain nature of the legal cannabis market rewards large, corporate interests who can afford to operate speculatively and compete with illegal sales. Not only would AB 1356 make it easier for Californians who choose to use cannabis to access safe and legal products, it would also provide opportunities for people of color—the same communities who bore the heaviest burdens of overpolicing and mass incarceration during the decades of cannabis prohibition—to enter in and share the prosperity of the cannabis market.

“Californians passed Proposition 64, not only because they wanted to finally end harassment and incarceration for people who choose to use cannabis, but also because they wanted the fruits of the lucrative market to be distributed fairly,” said Moore. “AB 1356 will be a first step toward fully realizing the will of the voters to create a robust and equitable cannabis market in California. UDW members are fully invested in achieving this goal.”

SACRAMENTO—Doug Moore, Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), issued the following statement supporting May 23rd amendments to AB 392 (Weber):

“I have reviewed the most recent amendments to AB 392 and, on behalf of the over 110,000 home care workers we represent, strongly support passage of this landmark legislation that will save lives and make our communities safer. As a co-sponsor of this bill, UDW commends all the parties involved in reaching a compromise that will allow this important legislation to move forward. AB 392 will be an important first step in creating a system of policing where all life is valued and bias is not a factor in life-or-death decisions.

Our membership is by majority women of color and we care for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. UDW’s co-sponsorship of AB 392 reflects the fact that many of us live in over-policed communities that have grieved far too many lives lost to unnecessary police killings. It also reflects that, as caregivers, we are committed to protecting people with disabilities and nearly half of people killed by police are people with disabilities. We believe AB 392 will make our families and our clients safer.

We want to thank the bill’s author, Assemblymember Shirley Weber, and the co-sponsors of AB 392 for ensuring that the rights of people with disabilities are represented in the final version of AB 392. We also want to thank Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro tem Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon for working diligently to bring stakeholders together to pass one of the strongest police use-of-force laws in the country.

Most importantly, we want to thank and honor the many families who came forward to share the pain of losing a member. This includes the family of Myra Micalizio, a UDW member who was killed by police in 2018 while experiencing a mental health crisis. We will continue to say your names and remain vigilant to spare other families from the tragedy of unjust police killings.”

BY ASTRID ZUNIGA AND DOUG MOORE SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE

In the coverage of police use of force, we talk a lot about race — and we should. Black and brown communities bear a greater burden than whites when it comes to violence at the hands of law enforcement.

But there’s another group heavily impacted by police use of force that’s less talked about: people with disabilities.

The danger faced by people with disabilities in a police encounter is laid out in a 2016 study by the Ruderman Family Foundation, which found that one third to one half of those killed by police are people with disabilities.

Individuals with physical, mental health, developmental or intellectual disabilities may not understand the shouted commands of law enforcement. Their confusion is taken for non-compliance. In this adrenaline-driven “command and control” form of policing, no one is protected. The only ones served are the funeral industry.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that may be true. But this much we know for certain: for working families in today’s economy, it takes, if not a village, at least a solid team.

The backbone of that team is parents, children and caregivers. Parents must work to afford housing, food and other necessities. Children require a safe, nurturing place to be when mom and dad are at their jobs. In order to thrive, families need to team up with affordable, high-quality child care providers. Working parents plus great child care providers equals success.

SACRAMENTO-The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union of 110,000 California home care workers, issued the following statement in response to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Budget Proposal on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS):

“We support Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to restore the 7 percent cut to California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program through 2021. IHSS allows low income seniors and people with disabilities to live at home safely and with dignity at a much lower cost than institutionalization.”

“However, UDW caregivers look forward to working with the Legislature and the Governor to permanently restore the 7% cut once and for all. IHSS requires stable funding to meet the needs of California’s large and rapidly-aging population. Permanently restoring the cut is necessary to ensure that stability.”

-Doug Moore
Executive Director, United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930)

I hope this Spring finds you well and filled with the special kind of strength we all call on to do our work as caregivers. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the UDW 2019 Elections and look forward to another term as your Statewide President. I am grateful for each and every one of you and the trust you put in me to lead your union.

As you know by now, our union is being tested once again by those who power who cannot stand to see caregivers taking power for themselves to protect IHSS and our families. The federal government in Washington, DC, has ruled that home care workers who work for programs like IHSS may not pay union dues—or other things like health and dental premiums—through paycheck deductions. This is an outrageous attack on our rights and we are of course fighting it. But, in the meantime, it’s crucial that we all re-authorize our membership to protect our union, our clients and our rights! If you haven’t reauthorized your membership yet, please visit https://joinudw.org/ and re-commit yourself to the fight for home care.

But, though we are being challenged, we are also growing. In February we added thousands of family child care providers and we continue to open our hearts to workers like us who want to live in a world where compassion is our guiding principle and everyone has the care they need.

I helped our members there prepare for 2019 district meetings and create a calendar of events.

I attended this meeting to help our District 3 leadership discuss issues for upcoming meetings in 2019.

I gathered with our retired members in San Diego to plan future activities for this newly-activist group.

I attended this meeting to help our District 4 leaders plan their upcoming activities.

I helped members in San Diego distribute food as part of our ongoing commitment to fight food insecurity.

I attended this meeting to assist District 8 leadership lay out their plans for the upcoming year’s activities.

I attended this meeting of our District 2 leadership to help them plan their upcoming events and activities.

I attended this membership meeting in Madera and encouraged our members there to join UDW councils.

California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) Board Meeting, February 26-27

I attended this event to perform my duties as CARA Vice President and UDW’s representative on the board.

I attended this meeting to assist District 2 leadership in planning upcoming events and activities.

I presided over this meeting of our UDW Executive Board at our Riverside office.

I attended this meeting to assist District 3 Local Board leadership plan upcoming events and activities.

I attended this meeting to help our leadership in District 8 plan upcoming events and activities.

I attended this ceremony in San Diego to swear in newly-elected and newly-re-elected leaders of Districts 1 and 8.

In my position as Vice President of California Alliance of Retired Americans (CARA) I participated in this planning call for the CARA convention.

IMPORTANT! In order to remain a UDW member and have dues payments automatically deducted, you must reauthorize your membership here.

Last month, the federal government announced the official rule change aimed at prohibiting home care providers like us from automatically deducting union dues and health care payments from our own paychecks. This new rule could go into effect as early as July 5. Read more about the rule change here.

The form on www.MyUDW.org contains updated language that will allow you to continue having these payments deducted from your paycheck. We are also working hard to find a solution to help you continue automatic deductions for your health care payments.

Even if you have already joined UDW, you must sign an updated membership card to stay in the union and have your payments processed once the rule becomes final.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the UDW Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016. Thank you for being a member of UDW. Together, we are protecting the rights of providers and the IHSS program.

Yes! In order to ensure no lapse in membership and keep access to your UDW member benefits you must sign the enclosed membership reauthorization card and send it back. You can also fill it out online at www.myUDW.org.

On July 12, 2018 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Federal agency that funds the IHSS program and similar home care programs across the country, proposed a new rule that would ban voluntary automatic deduction of union dues and other payments from Medicaid payments[1]. Because funding for IHSS comes in part from Medicaid, this would apply to IHSS paychecks.

What about other payments that are automatically deducted from my IHSS pay, like my health or dental insurance?

This new rule impacts all automatic deductions, so if you have health insurance or dental insurance payments automatically deducted from your IHSS paycheck, your payments will be affected. We’re committed to figuring out the best possible way to help you continue automatic deductions for these payments so you don’t experience any lapse in coverage – but first we need you to recommit to UDW by signing an updated membership card.

Will the amount of money I pay in dues change? Am I being asked to pay more?

No, your dues amount is not changing and will always be based on the amount of IHSS hours worked.

Why are they telling me I can’t pay my union dues out of my paycheck?

The Los Angeles Times is calling it a targeted attack on home care workers[2], and it’s the latest in a series of attacks on unions. For years now corporations and billionaires have been trying to weaken unions and make it harder for workers to gather resources and stand together. CMS says this rule is about ending “dues skimming” from Medicaid funding – but we know it is an attempt by the current administration to bankrupt home care unions and make it harder for caregivers to come together in a union to protect vital programs like IHSS[3].

[1] https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/12/2018-14786/medicaid-program-reassignment-of-medicaid-provider-claims

[2] http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-home-health-20180730-story.html

[3] http://www.udwa.org/2018/07/trump-admin-anti-labor-agenda-threatens-millions/

Urge Legislators to Support Families’ Top Needs: Good Union Jobs and Access to Quality Child Care

Child care providers, including dozens of members of UDW-CCPU members, were joined by mothers, grandmothers, community partners and AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride as they rallied in Sacramento and spoke directly with legislators on May 1st – May Day – for the right to negotiate with the state and to use their voice to make changes to California’s early childhood education system.

May Day is celebrated all over the world as International Workers Day, uplifting the contributions of workers and is an opportunity to highlight inequities working families face as wealth and income inequality is at an all-time high.

Child care providers are rallying to change the inequality facing children and families by pushing for passage of six key bills before the California legislature:

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

My name is Delfina Gonzalez. I care for my daughter, Amanda. She is 23 years old and lives with Down syndrome. She is nonverbal and I need to do everything for her. I found out about IHSS through a friend and I applied for the program in October 2017. At orientation, I signed up as a UDW member because I liked the idea that there were other providers ready to help me if I need it.

I needed that help right away. The social worker only gave my daughter 25 hours. I knew that amount didn’t reflect the amount of care I provide for my daughter. I went to the union and found an office full of people ready and happy to help. They explained the advocacy process and walked me through the appeals process. They were behind me as I fought for my rights. I’m happy to report that I won that fight; a judge determined Amanda required Protective Supervision—283 hours—and awarded me $43,000 of back pay.

Since becoming a UDW member, I’ve learned how the union protects IHSS and its funding and I learned that I am not alone as a caregiver. UDW taught me how to advocate for myself—now I want to help other caregivers learn how to do the same.

When IHSS hours were cut by 7% in 2013, UDW members and their clients were severely impacted. Critical, life-improved care was not paid for—or not provided. We fought back and we were successful: Starting on July 1, 2015, the cuts were restored.

But they were restored on a one-time basis that has had to be renewed yearly. In other words, even if we haven’t felt the 7% cut in hours since 2015, that cut is still written in the law.

That’s why we are at the California State Legislature this year, letting our lawmakers know that having the 7% cut still on the books is like a threat to us, a sword hanging over our head that could drop at any moment. On March 14 and 20, dozens of UDW members filled budget hearing rooms with green shirts and took our turns at the microphone to remind committee members of what we do for our clients—and for the state. Legislators say they are sympathetic and that they have not intention of letting the 7% cut go into effect again.

We will be there throughout the budget process, making sure that the real stories of IHSS caregivers and clients are heard. And we won’t stop until our hours are safe and our clients are protected.

When the Camp Fire roared through Butte County in November, it displaced hundreds of IHSS providers and their clients. In the aftermath of the fire, when local banks, post offices and other services were closed, providers who get their pay through direct deposit had one less thing to worry about. Many of the displaced members who came to the UDW’s Butte County office in Chico wanted to know how they could sign up for direct deposit, too.

But direct deposit isn’t just a great tool for those of us going through a crisis; IHSS providers who get their pay with direct deposit get paid faster. Sometimes getting paid a few days faster can be the difference between paying our bills on time or being late. And they don’t have to worry about their check being lost or stolen from their mailbox.

If you are not getting your IHSS pay with direct deposit, what are you waiting for? It’s easy! easy! (And if you don’t have a bank account, don’t worry — you can get your IHSS pay directly deposited onto the UDW US Bank Focus Card! Sign up for one at www.udwa.org/prepaidcard.)

Over a thousand child care providers joined UDW so far this year, making us stronger than ever

UDW represents over 110,000 IHSS providers in 21 counties up and down California and we are stronger than ever. Our strength comes not only from our numbers, but from the fact that, as caregivers, we know how to get things done and we lead from the heart.

In 2015, UDW’s home care providers opened our hearts, and our membership, to family child care providers, inviting them to join UDW and use our shared experiences as care providers to fight for a better future for ourselves and those we care for. Our child care members union is Child Care Providers United (CCPU-UDW) and it’s a partnership based on mutual respect and common goals.

This year, that partnership is gaining power as more and more providers are coming together to join our movement. We have a new governor, Gavin Newson, who has pledged $500 million to expand subsidized child care and invest in training and education for providers. And we have a movement that’s building more momentum every day.

In February, we embarked on an historic campaign to reach out to child care providers across the state—one of the largest organizing campaigns in the country—and we added thousands of family child care providers to our movement. Having conversations provider-to-provider, we are building our list of priorities for our child care members that are very similar to our IHSS member priorities: getting paid on time, protecting and expanding funding for our programs and, most importantly, raising the pay that care workers get so we can pay our bills and take care of our own families.

New CCPU-UDW members say they joined to tap into the power that comes from joining our voices together.

For Jacqueline Wisniewski, who became a member in March, union membership will help her be a leader for other providers in her community.

UDW’s IHSS providers want to send a heartfelt message to our new child care members.

For Immediate Release
May 2, 2019
Contact Margitte Kristjansson: 619-548-4304

Today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a rule change that prohibits consumer-directed home care workers from making any automatic deductions—including union dues and health care premiums—from their Medicaid-funded paychecks. The move is the latest in a series of federal level attacks against public sector unions, including the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Harris v. Quinn and Janus v. AFSCME, which aim to defund unions and silence workers’ voices.

The new rule, which CMS announced will go into effect on or around July 5 of this year, jeopardizes a caregiver’s ability to access union benefits such as life insurance, auto and travel discounts, and essential legal and advocacy services. It also jeopardizes health and dental care for caregivers by prohibiting them from deducting their insurance premiums from their paychecks.

“The thinly-veiled motive in this rule change is to defund home care unions,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director of the United Domestic Workers of America which represents over 110,000 workers who provide home care through California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. “But in their zeal to destroy a political adversary, this administration is endangering the lives of millions of people.”

The new rule will not only financially hurt home care unions, whose members work in private homes and are often isolated from each other, but could also mean devastating cuts to the home care programs these unions protect.

But wealthy backers of these anti-union efforts are in for a surprise if they believe this rule change will silence home care workers. After the 2014 Harris decision took away home care unions’ ability to collect agency fees from non-members, UDW not only survived, but thrived, signing tens of thousands of new members and revitalizing its base.

“We didn’t ask for this rule change,” said caregiver and UDW president Editha Adams. “But we will fight and we will win. UDW caregivers understand that coming together is how we will build power and protect the home care program for our loved ones and clients.”

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a home care union made up of over 110,000 in-home caregivers in 21 counties across the state of California. UDW caregivers provide critical services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence.

We all make mistakes, and we all deserve the chance to atone for them. But low-level crimes on our records can keep us from turning our lives around, making a fresh start and contributing to society.

That’s why UDW, with our friends at UFCW, is helping caregivers and their family members by holding expungement clinics to help certain non-violent offenders clear their records. “Expunge” means to set aside and dismiss something and, after attending these clinics, many folks have a chance to look forward to a clear future.

It’s important to note that these are not violent or serious crimes, but the kind of low-level offenses that are often the result of poverty or addiction and that California has decided are eligible for expungement.

These are some of the offenses that may qualify to be changed from felonies to misdemeanors:

With Proposition 47, passed by voters in 2014, California downgraded these former felonies to misdemeanors with the goal of reducing incarceration costs for the state. And, for people who have struggled with a record that just doesn’t describe who they are anymore, getting expungement help is life-changing.

“I got a felony conviction when I was 18 years old. I am now 31 and unable to get a job making more than $12.50 an hour,” said UDW member R.B. “I’m hopeful that through this process of expunging my record that doors will start to open for me. I’m really thankful for this opportunity and this resource made available by my union.”

P.R., another UDW member, also found hope at an expungement clinic. “I have a misdemeanor from 2016 and it has prevented me from being able to be on the IHSS registry to get matched with a client,” she said. “After attending this expungement clinic, I learned that I just need to turn in my paperwork so that my record can be expunged. I look forward to new job opportunities opening up for me!”

UDW’s expungement clinics have also helped our family members. “Having a record has made it difficult to obtain employment because of prior convictions,” said E.E., relative of a UDW member. “It feels good knowing that UDW is doing this and I’m now optimistic about my future. This is a great clinic.”

For UDW Executive Director Doug Moore, helping UDW members and their families get on a more stable path to the future through expungement clinics is part of the union’s duty to serve members.

“UDW is committed to helping its members secure a better life,” he said. “That means clearing a path through the kind of barriers that often keep poor people and people of color from putting their best foot forward. We are proud to be part of helping our members and their families let go of the pain of the past and step boldly into the promise of the future.”

There is so much going on with UDW-CCPU right now it is hard to keep up! Our movement of family child care providers has grown by thousands over the past few months and those added voices are making our call to fix California’s broken child care system impossible to ignore. We have the attention of state lawmakers, the media and, most importantly, the working parents with whom we are partnering to make childcare work better for providers–as well as for the families we serve.

Here are some of the exciting things that UDW-CCPU members have made happen in the past few weeks:

We are making progress, but we won’t stop until we get what we need: a childcare system where every family has access to affordable, high-quality child care and every child care provider has the compensation and support they need. Join us and get involved in our movement to build a better child care system in California!

Big changes are on the horizon, and more and more providers are coming together to join our movement to make California’s child care system work better for providers and the families we serve. We have a new governor, Gavin Newson, who has pledged $500 million to expand subsidized child care and invest in training and education for providers. And we have a movement that’s building more momentum every day.

Having a new governor who wants to fix childcare while more Californians are beginning to understand how broken the system is makes for a “strike while the iron is hot” moment for our movement. That’s why are taking this opportunity to make our union, Child Care Providers United (CCPU-UDW), stronger than ever. In February, we embarked on an historic campaign to reach out to providers across the state—one of the largest organizing campaigns in the country—and we added thousands of family child care providers to our movement.

Having conversation provider-to-provider, we are building our list of priorities. And, by combining into a single voice, we will be heard when we tell the governor and other lawmakers things like:

Because Governor Newsom has shown more support for our union than the previous governor, Jerry Brown, we are closer than ever to winning our collective bargaining rights. We are sponsoring a new bill, AB 378 (Limon), that would grant us the right to sit across the table from the state as a union and negotiate what we need to do our jobs, run our businesses and protect the children in our care. We will need to continue to build our union power to pass AB 378—and ensure that Governor Newsom will sign it.

For our members, joining a union and winning collective bargaining rights is all about providers helping providers do the job we love.

“I love caring for children because I’m a mom myself,” said Muna Shagon, a child care provider for six children in San Diego County and a CCPU-UDW member. “Having a union means the state agencies can’t just do whatever they want. We are part of an organization that knows the rules and helps providers.”

By making childcare a priority in his first budget, Newsom is showing us that he’s ready to look for real solutions to California’s broken childcare system. And California’s family child care providers are ready to show him what those solutions are. Join us and help build a child care system that works for ALL Californians!

A few years ago, William Reed, a caregiver and UDW District 6 Vice President, stopped by the local H & R Block office to pick up his taxes. His son, William Jr., an adult with autism, was in the back seat and didn’t want to get out of the car. “OK,” William thought, “I’ll run in to get the taxes and run out.”

William panicked and did what he instinctively does whenever his son disappears from his sight: listen for sirens. William and his wife have spent the decades since their son’s birth in 1976 learning about autism and how it affects their son. They have years of trial-and-error research on how to understand and best respond to their son’s behaviors. So when William heard the sirens that day, he knew that William, Jr. would become agitated—and possibly aggressive—at the overwhelming sensory stimuli of a police interaction. When he found his son, his panic was justified.

“He was handcuffed and pushed up against the wall,” William remembers. “The handcuffs were on him so tight he was screaming.” William, knowing the volatility of the situation, begged the police to get away from his son, to take the handcuffs off.

“Of course, when you tell a policeman to do that,” William said, “they tend to focus more on you.”

Fortunately, William knew one of the police officers on the scene who was able to defuse the potentially tragic situation but, for many families of people with disabilities, encounters with law enforcement end much more tragically. In fact, studies show that nearly half of all people killed by police are people with disabilities. This often occurs when people such as William Jr.—who often are suspected of no crime—are not able to understand shouted commands and react in ways that are not expected.

UDW Executive Vice President Astrid Zuniga also cares for an adult son with autism and for years has been leading our membership in seeking solutions for safer interactions between law enforcement and people with disabilities.

“I worry that a police officer won’t see what I see when I look at my son,” said Astrid. “They won’t know how much he loves music—especially Nora Jones and Beethoven. Or about his favorite things to watch on his tablet: Dora Explorer, Blues Clues, and Disney movies. Instead they’ll see a strong and aggressive young man, one who doesn’t respond to their commands to stop or calm down.”

It isn’t just people with autism who are in danger during interactions with police; there are too many stories of people with physical disabilities and mental illness dying needlessly at the hands of authorities. UDW represents over 110,000 workers who care for seniors and people with disabilities. Our clients and family members are the most vulnerable population when it comes to police interactions, and it is our responsibility to secure their safety. That’s why UDW is taking a strong stand for disability rights by joining the movement to reduce police violence. We are co-sponsoring AB 392, a bill that will reduce unnecessary deaths by requiring police to exhaust all other methods before using deadly force. AB 392 will help more people go home safely after an encounter with police—including our law enforcement officers.

For William and other UDW caregivers, AB 392 is an opportunity to educate–not just police, but the public in general–to not be afraid of people with disabilities and to approach them with kindness and patience. “As home care workers, we feel deep empathy,” said William. “We also understand that [disability] is not as much of a threat as it’s perceived to be. We know you don’t have to rush in. Give it time. You don’t have to have an immediate reaction.”

Coalition-backed legislation will create roadmap to long-term care benefit for middle-class Californians

Dr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and state senator representing the Sacramento area, and Assemblymember Ash Kalra, representing San Jose, today announced new legislation that is the first step toward building a new program to finance long-term services and supports (LTSS) for California’s working and middle-class families.

California currently has almost 8 million persons who are either older adults or persons with mobility, sensory, intellectual, developmental, and/or mental health disabilities, many of whom struggle to afford the ongoing services and supports they need to live with dignity and independence.

As a result, millions of California families provide unpaid caregiving or mortgage their futures to provide care and support to their loved ones. Many must “spend down” their assets to qualify for Medi-Cal LTSS programs, putting additional pressure on an overburdened system and the state budget.

“As our family members and neighbors age, many families will need help caring for them at home or in a long-term care facility. But many families are unable to pay for needed care,” said Dr. Richard Pan, state senator representing the Sacramento region. “This bill will prepare California for an aging population by examining how middle class and working families can finance long term services and supports for their aging and disable loved ones.”

SB 512 creates the framework for a new program that would provide Californians with a managed cash benefit to spend on long-term services and supports. Also referred to as long- term care (LTC), LTSS consists of a broad range of day-to-day tasks that include personal care (bathing, dressing, toileting); complex care (medications, wound care); help with housekeeping, transportation, paying bills, and meals; and other ongoing social services. LTSS may be provided in the home, in assisted living and other supportive housing settings, in nursing facilities, and in integrated settings that provide both health care and supportive services.

“This is an important first step in addressing this critical need for a growing number of hardworking Californians,” said Assemblymember Kalra. “We look forward to working with the Governor and dedicated stakeholders to design a program that meets the needs of our most vulnerable communities.”

SB 512 was developed in concert with the California Aging and Disability Alliance (CADA), which includes a broad cross section of stakeholders, including statewide representatives of 20 aging, consumers, disability, labor, and provider groups.

“Our current system demands from people who have worked hard their whole lives to get rid of all their assets and income just to get the services they need,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director, UDW/AFSCME Local 3930. UDW represents more than 110,000 home care workers in California, who are paid poverty-level wages for the life-saving care they provide. “Many other families are overwhelmed trying to make a living while caring for their loved ones – in fact, caregiving is a significant driver of poverty in older women. This new program will bring relief to California’s middle-class families.”

The new benefit is designed to be available to families who earn too much to qualify for Medi- Cal and that program’s LTSS benefits, but who earn too little to afford long-term care insurance or to pay out of pocket for LTSS services.

“The costs of LTSS are beyond the reach of too many California families struggling to care for a loved one,” said Nancy McPherson, State Director for AARP California. “We need to expand access to these services in a way that is financially responsible for California and that empowers people who are aging or living with disabilities.”

• AARP California
• Alzheimer’s Association
• California Alliance for Retired Americans
• California Association for Adult Day
Services
• California Commission on Aging
• California Domestic Workers Coalition
• California Foundation for Independent
Living Centers
• California Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Association
• CalPACE
• Caring Across Generations
• Congress of California Seniors
• Disability Rights California
• Disability Rights Education and Defense
Fund
• Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers
Network
• Justice in Aging
• LeadingAge California
• SEIU Local 2015
• State Independent Living Council
• The Arc of California
• UDW/AFSCME Local 3930

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

Happy 2019! I am excited for the rewards and challenges of the year ahead and grateful for all of you as we are on this journey together.

This past fall was a busy time for our union. As your Statewide President, I oversaw our electoral efforts and our work to ensure that our membership remains strong in the face of the federal government’s attack on home care unions.

I’m happy to report that caregivers won many important victories at the ballot box. We targeted the lawmakers who voted to cut IHSS at the federal level and, thanks to the hard work of UDW members and our allies, we replaced six of them with representatives who have promised to be champions for care! Thank you to everyone who helped. Whether you knocked on doors, made phone calls, or just made the commitment to vote on Election Day, your voice mattered. Together, we will hold these new lawmakers to their promises the next time IHSS funding is threatened.

Another big part of the last few months for me has been working to educate members as we fight a rule change coming from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that will change the way we pay our dues. I travelled around the state helping spread the word that all members have to sign our new membership card to re-authorize their UDW membership and remain a member in good standing. Although the threats coming from anti-union forces is real, talking to all of you reminds me of how strong and determined caregivers are and how no one can stop us when we stick together!

I joined our District 4 members in Madera County to update them on statewide union activities.

I joined other members of our Executive Board at our Sacramento office to celebrate UDW-endorsed women running for office.

I attended this meeting to help prepare for an upcoming district membership meeting.

I attend this meeting to help organize the next membership meetings and plan an upcoming picnic.

I addressed this year’s graduating class from the culinary program we started to help community members.

I attended this meeting in Imperial County to plan upcoming events and actions in District 8.

California Alliance for Retired Americans Regional Convention (CARA), September 12

I represented UDW at this regional convention of CARA in San Diego, an important partner in our work to improve long-term care.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) Caregivers and Domestic Workers Forum, October 20

I served as master of ceremonies for this event that featured UDW Assistant Executive Director, Johanna Hester, as well as Alor Calderon from the Employee Rights Center.

I cohosted this live video event on the UDW Facebook page to help educate our membership on changes to our dues collection.

I attended this event at our Riverside office to help honor our District 3 members who have completed UDW Leadership Academy training.

District 5 Membership Meeting and Leadership Academy Graduation, November 30

I joined our District 5 members in Kern County for a regular membership meeting and to honor graduates of UDW Leadership Academy.

I presided over this regular meeting of UDW’s elected leadership in San Diego.

I joined our District 4 members in Stanislaus County for a holiday celebration and membership meeting.

I helped celebrate our Placer County providers with our District 6 members in Roseville.

I joined our members from San Luis Obsipo and Santa Barbara Counties in their annual celebration in Santa Maria.

If you were an IHSS provider making less than $12/hour, you got a raise!

Congrats — and we’ll continue fighting for even better wages at the bargaining table for caregivers in 2019.

The beginning of a new year is a time to reflect and set our minds to the good things ahead. For many UDW caregivers, one of those good things is the new statewide minimum wage increase! Along with that much-needed pay raise, 2019 will also mean many opportunities for UDW caregivers to work together to protect our program and improve the lives of our clients and ourselves.

Thanks to advocacy from UDW members and our allies across the state, the minimum wage increased to $12/hour on January 1 – and will continue to raise until we hit $15/hour in 2022. We will also continue to fight for higher caregiver pay at the county and statewide level through bargaining and legislative action.

In 2019 we are working to finally end the 7% cut to IHSS once and for all – because our clients deserve to receive 100% of the care they need (and you deserve to be paid for providing it). You can also protect IHSS by recommitting to UDW at www.myUDW.org.

With a new governor who has promised to make long-term care a priority, there will be a lot of new, exciting ideas about improving the long term care system for everyone. We and our allies will be there to make sure caregivers are a part of this vital discussion.

Too many people with disabilities and people of color are hurt or killed in police interactions every year. This year we will be ramping up our efforts by organizing our allies and partners to support legislation that will protect everyone by helping law enforcement find new strategies for dealing with crisis situations.

I look forward to working with you all this year as we protect IHSS, raise caregiver pay, and make a better California for all families!

Camp Fire took heavy toll on caregivers, seniors, and people living with disabilities

Life changed forever for hundreds of UDW members on the morning of November 8, when fire broke out near the Butte County community of Paradise. The Camp Fire grew quickly into an unstoppable inferno and within days became the deadliest fire in California history. All told, 86 people died in the Camp Fire, and many of them were seniors and people with disabilities who were unable to escape in time.

Our Butte County membership was hit particularly hard by the Camp Fire. UDW represents over 800 IHSS providers who lived in the evacuation zones of Paradise and Magalia before the fire. To help our fellow members, UDW’s Chico office quickly converted into a temporary disaster relief center. Staffers went to work fielding calls and texts from UDW members, finding out who was OK—and who wasn’t—collecting lists of needed items, and helping coordinate the many donations that started coming in. UDW also launched a GoFundMe page to raise donations for members impacted by the Camp Fire.

“UDW has been amazing to us,” said Jennifer Blum, a UDW member whose home was destroyed by the fire in Paradise. “I never thought that this could be something that my family would ever have to experience. All I can say is that we were put on this earth to help each other. Give even if you know it’s not going to come back to you at least you know you have helped someone in need.”

You’ve probably heard by now that, because of a proposed rule change from the government in Washington, D.C., all UDW members must sign a new member card.

(Don’t worry, it’s easy to do, simply visit www.myudw.org and you will be done in a few minutes.)

Why do we have to do this? Because wealthy corporate interests want to get rid of unions altogether so they can pay workers as much—or as little—as they want. And they are starting with home care workers because they think we are weak and won’t put up a fight.

But anyone who has been a caregiver knows that we are the toughest fighters of all! We fight exhaustion, frustration and fear to provide lifesaving care every day. We fight to give seniors and people with disabilities the best lives possible. And we fight to provide for ourselves and our families.

That’s why UDW members are sticking with our union, signing re-authorization cards, and re-committing to fight for IHSS and working families in the new year.

Delfina Gonzalez, San Diego County, signed her membership card. She knows that the only way we will raise caregiver pay and stop cuts to the program is to build power together.

“I decided to re-sign because I am very grateful of all the wins that the union has gotten for us in the past, but I know that’s not the end, we still have a lot to fight for. Re-signing guarantees that we will be able to continue to fight for the IHSS program and protect it and our clients.”

But don’t forget there are a lot of every day benefits to membership, too. UDW members get free trainings like CPR and First Aid, a low-cost dental plan, discounts on things like prescription drugs, and help with IHSS hours and timesheets. UDW has helped providers win back pay and more IHSS hours for their clients. UDW members fought for the option of electronic timesheets—which is helping many caregivers get paid a lot faster. And UDW members can use the IHSS Help App on their phone or get a money-saving debit card that allows users to shop online and get direct deposit—even if they don’t have a bank account!

“Our union has gotten us direct deposit, electronic timesheets, dental benefits, overtime and paid sick leave. Organizing workers through a union made that happen. Without our commitment to our union, there’s a lot at stake and a lot to lose.”

Most importantly, sticking with the union is sticking with what’s right: We can’t let a bunch of anti-worker billionaires tell us how we spend our money. These are our paychecks. This is our union. This is our fight.

You can read more about the proposed rule here at www.bit.ly/udwmembership

“Caregivers face things everyday that most people couldn’t handle. We are strong. Our union is the best tool we have to use that strength to defend our program and protect ourselves. We’re not going to let anyone take it away.”

A rule proposed by the federal government will stop health care payments and union dues from being deducted automatically from our IHSS paychecks.

In order to remain a UDW member and pay your dues, you must sign our new membership reauthorization card, which includes updated language that will keep you a member in good standing.

Just go to www.MyUDW.org and sign the new membership card today. There will be no interruption in your member benefits and we will continue to build the member power we need to protect IHSS and make life better for caregivers and clients!

We have done so much together as a union to protect IHSS and make life better for caregivers: stopping cuts to our program, winning overtime and sick pay, winning the right to use electronic timesheets, and creating time and money-saving tools like the IHSS Help app and the UDW U.S. Bank Focus Card.

We have been able do all this because of our member power. Alone, we are just one caregiver struggling to be heard. Together, we are 110,000 voices that will not be silenced. We must continue to use the power of our combined voices to protect IHSS and fight for better lives for caregivers, our loved ones, and our communities.

Being a family child care provider means running a small business. Sometimes we are so busy looking after the children in our care that there just isn’t enough time to chase down paperwork or to deal with billing problems. But when you are a member of our union, CCPU/UDW, you have the resources and experiences of other members and union staff to help you when you need it.

That’s what Linda Moore, a child care provider in Contra Costa County, found out. Earlier this year, one of the families she provides care for fell behind in their own paperwork, neglecting to provide pay verification to the Alternative Payment Program (AP) that subsidizes their child care expenses. The AP suspended payments to Linda. The family has four children in Linda’s care, so three months of lost payments meant Linda was out well over $8,000.

“It was frustrating,” Linda said. “I had bills I needed to pay to keep going with my child care. Eighty-five hundred dollars was supposed to be coming, and it wasn’t.”

Luckily, she was contacted by a union representative and decided it was time to become a member. The union immediately went to work on her behalf, contacting a California Department of Education (CDE) consultant, and helping her get pay stubs from the family, a necessary verification that restarted the Aps payments to Linda.

And that wasn’t all. In Less than a month, Linda received back pay for the entire time payments had been withheld. For Linda, union membership made all the difference.

“UDW helped me,” Linda said. “I got almost $8,500 from joining the union.”

Which lawmakers stood up for seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and California’s in-home caregivers?

Every year, UDW scores the California legislature and the governor on their support of policies that impact homecare recipients and care providers. We also total the overall career scores of our elected leaders to acknowledge those who have consistently supported providers and our IHSS clients. Find out how your lawmakers scored by clicking on the booklet below.

As caregivers, we know two things: Our clients need IHSS and we need higher pay. That’s why our union will focus on protecting our program and raising caregiver pay in the coming year. But to win on those issues, we must also fight the other injustices that keep us from achieving our goals—injustices like poverty, racism, and violence. So, as we are pushing for better caregiver pay and IHSS funding, we will also be working toward making our communities healthier, safer, and more just.

Right now, IHSS caregiver pay is set at the county level by unions negotiating with local county boards of supervisors. That means Orange County has different pay than San Diego, Placer has different pay than Santa Barbara, and local officials have too much power over such important decisions. We believe IHSS providers and clients would be better off if we could bargain as one statewide unit. We would have a louder voice and more bargaining power to get what we need. That’s why pushing for statewide collective bargaining is one of our priorities for 2019.

By now you have been contacted by a UDW to let you know that we all have to reauthorize our memberships. Why is this happening? Because the government in Washington, D.C. decided we don’t have the right to decide what to do with our own paychecks and is changing the rules so we can’t have dues and other payments automatically deducted from our IHSS paychecks. We are fighting the rule change in the halls of power, but in the meantime, we have to change the way we collect dues. If you don’t sign the new card you may lose your UDW membership and benefits! So we need to make sure that we all sign a reauthorization cardASAP.

Another way we are protecting IHSS is by protecting its funding. As you probably know, California made a seven percent across-the-board cut to IHSS in 2013. That meant fewer care hours for hundreds of thousands of seniors and people with disabilities. We fought back and in 2015we helped the state work out a temporary way to pay for the lost IHSS funds. But that temporary funding will expire in June 2019. With a multi-billion-dollar budget surplus, there is no reason IHSS providers and clients should continue to face the threat of losing critical hours of service. And, with a new governor in office–Gavin Newsom, who we supported—the time is right for us to push to permanently end the seven percent cut once and for all.

The government has a wonky term for the policies and planning it does for seniors and people with disabilities: Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS). As caregivers (and clients), we are experts in LTSS and we need a seat at the table as the state plans the future of care in California.

In 2018, we got the legislature to approve $3 million to fund research into LTSS so California can start making real, meaningful changes in the LTSS system. For us, that means ensuring that everyone who needs care gets it—and everyone who wants to be cared for at home can do so. With a new governor who has promised to make long to care a priority, there will be a lot of new, exciting ideas about improving long term care for everyone. We and our allies will be there to make sure caregivers are part of the discussion.

This year we will be ramping up our efforts by organizing our allies and partners in law enforcement to support our bill AB 437, which gives people with disabilities and their families the ability to voluntarily provide important information about themselves – information about their disability, signals of distress, and calming strategies – to law enforcement in advance of a crisis.

Like people with disabilities, people of color are more likely to be harmed or killed in interactions with police. UDW’s membership is a majority women of color; we know firsthand the fear that we or our loved ones will suffer when a misunderstanding with law enforcement becomes a life or death situation. To change the relationship between poor communities and communities of color, we are supporting AB 931, a bill that would require law enforcement officers to exhaust all other means of de-escalation before using deadly force.

All of these goals will raise up caregivers and give our clients and families a safer, more secure, and more prosperous life. And we will only achieve them if we stand together and use our combined power to demand what’s right.

Stay tuned for ways you can help protect IHSS, raise caregiver pay, and make a better California for all families!

Family child care providers help California’s working families get through their days, honor their commitments, and realize their goals. But, even though they perform an essential service, family child care workers struggle to meet their own needs because of low pay, unpredictable payment schedules, and an unnecessarily complicated licensing process.

That’s what California Childcare Providers United (CCPU-UDW) member Pat Alexander explained to Jason Sisney, Speaker of the Assembly’s chief budget consultant, when he visited her family child care on November 26. As the ten children in her care that day played peacefully with in the duplo area, the play kitchen, or the other stations carefully designed by Early Childhood Education standards, Pat walked Sisney through her home. She explained how what looks like play is actually developing children’s intellectual abilities and preparing them for kindergarten. She explained how the integrate books like Pete the Cat with Pete the Cat toys to reinforce reading concepts. And she explained how eligibility and payment problems can lead to her going without pay—and parents to lose precious care hours.

Sisney’s visit to Pat’s home was an important part of CCPU’s work to improve California’s child care system for providers and families. Alone, providers can’t get heard by legislators and other officials that make important decisions. When we come together into a union, we get their attention and our voices are heard. And the one thing Pat made sure that Sisney heard is that family child care providers need to have collective bargaining rights to make our programs better for everyone.

“Everybody else has a right to be at the table,” Pat told Sisney, “Why can’t we?”

On the morning of November 8, Kesha and Vincent Haynie were leaving their home in Magalia to start their regular commute into Chico where Vince cares for an elderly man and Kesha—a caregiver herself—works as a UDW staff member. They noticed plumes of smoke and heard a loud, ominous, “BOOM.”

“It must have been a propane tank,” Vince said. “They were going off like firecrackers.”

On the road to town they saw the actual flames. They called Kesha’s mom, who was still at their house with their dog, and told her to leave the area and head to Chico immediately. For the rest of the drive, they watched with a rising sense of alarm as emergency vehicles and unmarked police cars rushed back up the hill.

The fire quickly grew into an unstoppable inferno, burning hot and moving fast with plenty of fuel from the tinder-dry landscape and the structures—homes, schools, churches, local businesses—it devoured. The sky went dark and the smoke travelled hundreds of miles.

“It looked like the end of the world,” said Kesha. “It looked like Armageddon.”

The speed and intensity of the fire took the sleepy communities by surprise and led to unprecedented loss: Eighty-five people died in the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California history. Many of them were seniors and people with disabilities who were unable to escape in time. UDW’s Butte County membership was hit hard by the Camp Fire. UDW represents over 800 IHSS providers who lived in the evacuation zones of Paradise and Magalia before the fire. While damage is still being assessed, the town of Paradise is considered a near total loss and huge swaths of Magalia are now charred ruins.

UDW’s Chico office quickly converted into a temporary disaster relief center. Kesha joined other staffers and went to work fielding calls and texts from UDW members, finding out who was OK—and who wasn’t—collecting lists of needed items, and helping coordinate the many donations that started coming in. Kesha and Vince set up camp in the small church they began in 2009 and used that as a base of operations for more donations and an emergency shelter for others who needed it. UDW also launched a Go Fund Me page to raise donations for members impacted by the Camp Fire.

The labor community quickly joined the statewide UDW membership in providing support for our Butte members. Our Butte office received donations from AFSCME Local 2620 and Council 57, AFSCME International, SEIU Local 2015 and other community groups. With the help of these donations, UDW has distributed gas and Visa gift cards, clothing, sleeping bags, blankets, hand sanitizer, Clorox Wipes, toiletries, feminine products, children’s books and toys, Advil packs and N95 Masks. We also arranged for the donation and distribution of medical equipment such as hospital beds, lifts, and shower chairs. To help displaced members receive pay while they are displaced, we helped dozens of providers sign up for direct deposit, E-Timesheets, and the IHSS Help App. And our County Rep and member volunteers visited shelters to identify IHSS providers and provide assistance as needed or direct them to our office.

UDW member Jennifer Blum’s home was among those destroyed by the fire in Paradise. Jennifer cares for her wife, Alicia, a cancer survivor. They moved to Paradise in 2017. They were looking to be closer to family and found the little Butte County town to be welcoming and beautiful, much like the eastern Wisconsin area they were moving from. But that beauty turned to terror on the morning of November 8. They woke to a world gone dark and the fire so close they could hear the roar of the flames. They loaded what they could in their cars, including their autistic son, and set about trying to roust all their neighbors—mostly older folks—before reaching Jennifer’s parents’ house outside the fire zone.

UDW member Tina Cuadra also lost her home in Paradise to the fire. Because her husband is the recipient of a liver transplant, they needed to relocate farther away than Chico or Oroville or the other nearby areas that were choking in smoke in the week following the fire. Tina’s husband does not have an active immune system and the toxins in the smoke could be especially dangerous for him. So they checked into the Motel 6 in Anderson, California, approximately 60 miles north of Chico. Tina’s insurance company covered the costs of the motel, but had a hard time accessing disaster recovery services and resources because they were located in Chico and her husband’s condition made travel difficult.

Tina’s union was there for her. UDW staff drove to Anderson to hand deliver clean clothes, food, and a gas card. Tina was grateful for the personal response of her fellow members—and also for the understanding that they just need a helping hand to get on their feet again.

Alicia and Jennifer are also grateful for the help they have received from their union.

“UDW has been amazing to us,” said Jennifer. “I never thought that this could be something that my family would ever have to experience. All I can say is that we were put on this earth to help each other. Give even if you know it’s not going to come back to you at least you know you have helped someone in need.”

UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said that supporting our Butte County members, their clients, and their families in times of crisis is why we are here.

“Our hearts broke when we heard hundreds of our union brothers and sisters were homeless or had lost precious loved ones,” he said. “Everyone immediately asked ‘what can we do to help? We were there for our members then, and we will be there for them in the future as they rebuild their lives and help rebuild their communities in Butte.”

But Moore said much more needs to be done to keep a tragedy like this from happening again. “Yes, we must address climate change and the other factors that made this fire so deadly,” said Moore. “But we must also find ways to better protect the seniors and people with disabilities that are always disproportionately affected by disasters—natural and otherwise.”

UDW members took the 2018 election seriously: knocking on doors, making calls and texts, talking to our neighbors and, most importantly, getting to the polls and VOTING!

Now, thanks to the hard work and dedication of caregivers and our allies who also believe everyone should get the care they need, many lawmakers who voted to cut IHSS have been kicked out of office—and replaced with folks who will stand up for IHSS and vote for people and families over corporations and profits.

The reason why UDW caregivers get involved in politics is simple: to protect IHSS for our clients and loved ones. Elections decide our lawmakers, and lawmakers decide what our government will make a priority. Things like funding for IHSS completely depend on who we elect to office. The UDW caregivers who serve on our local and statewide boards get to know the candidates and only give our support to those who share our commitment to IHSS, our families, and our communities.

At the federal level

Just over half of the funding for IHSS comes from Medicaid—a federal program. Voting to cut Medicaid or “block grant” Medicaid means voting to cut IHSS. Another federal source of IHSS funding comes from the Community First Choice Option (CFCO) of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare). The CFCO provides $400 million in annual funding to IHSS, so voting to repeal the ACA means voting to immediately cut hundreds of millions from IHSS and, most importantly, our clients’ care.

In 2017, fourteen of California’s members of Congress voted repeatedly to cut Medicaid and repeal the ACA. After months of mobilizing our fellow caregivers to vote, we are happy to report that six of those seats changed hands in the recent election and are now held by elected officials who are committed to care!

At the state level

Protecting IHSS at the federal level is crucial, but many important decisions are made on the statewide level, too. Thankfully, seven of the eight candidates UDW endorsed won!

Holding our new leaders accountable

But remember, electing leaders to office who share our priorities is only part of the fight; now we must continue to engage with them, and hold them accountable to the promises they made to caregivers and our families.

Stay in touch with UDW to learn how you can get involved and make sure these election victories become victories for home care!

UDW has been in contact with the state and county officials to answer your questions about timesheets and paychecks during this time. Please don’t hesitate to call our Chico office at 530-894-2702 or our statewide member benefits center at 1-800-621-5016 with additional questions. We’re here to help.

Paychecks:
IHSS timesheet processing facility in Chico was only closed Friday due to fire. It was closed yesterday due to holiday. Today (11/13) and tomorrow (11/14) it is processing every timesheet received by post office since Thursday (11/8). This may result in a small delay in paychecks being issued only for those timesheets received between Thursday and today.

If you lost your home due to fire or need to change your mailing address for whatever reason you should call the county (530-538-7538 option #1) or the provider help desk right away to change your mailing address.

If you do not have a new forwarding address, the post office will hold your paychecks. You may go to the post office with photo ID to claim your paychecks. Many post offices have closed, click here for an updated list of open post offices.

Timesheets:
For current timesheets, you should go ahead and submit them as you normally would. There should be no delay in processing timesheets moving forward.

Information for IHSS Clients
IHSS clients can adjust how many hours their providers work each week so long as they do not work more than their total monthly authorized hours. In certain circumstances, clients will need to get county approval for providers to work more than their maximum weekly hours. Below is link to ACL that outlines these circumstances:

Clients can request additional IHSS hours if they have an increased need for services, even if this increased need is only temporary. If they have an increased need for services due to the fire they should contact their social worker and request additional hours. Social workers can grant increased hours over the phone. You should note, however, if the increase is significant a social worker will likely conduct an in-person assessment.

Additional Resources
Our UDW office in Chico is serving as a donation center, we have clothing, blankets and more. Call 530-894-2702 or just drop by between the hours of 9am and 6pm. We are also working on getting more supplies throughout the week. Here is our address: 2592 Notre Dame Blvd. Suite 150 Chico, CA 95928

The county of Butte website also has an updated list of open evacuation shelters for people and pets, free medical nonemergency care, applying for aid and more.

Our hearts are with our fellow caregivers, clients, and loved ones during this time. Please don’t hesitate to call our Chico office at 530-894-2702 or our statewide member benefits center at 1-800-621-5016.

The application process for the 2019 UDW Culinary Arts Academy Program (CAP) is now open. The UDW Culinary Arts Academy is a free training program for UDW caregivers and community members. The Academy will provide participants with seven months of culinary skills training, as well as valuable training in starting and operating a business.

Thank you for your interest in the B5 Foundation Culinary Arts Academy Program (CAAP) sponsored by the United Domestic Workers of America. Becoming a skilled culinary professional requires years of experience, but does not require any specific degree before going to culinary training because the instruction you will receive through B5 Foundation’s CAAP will be hands-on. This is a twelve month, one weekend a month (subject to change), culinary program specifically designed for persons who are passionate about culinary arts. Please note that classes are held on the third Saturday or Sunday of the month from 9am – 5pm (subject to change), and attendance is mandatory. Classes begin January 19-20, 2018.

Classes will be held at 4855 Seminole Dr., San Diego, CA 92115. There are 20 slots available. Please complete and submit applications to [email protected] or fax to (619) 640-9903 no later than 5pm on December 28, 2018 (deadline extended). No exceptions.

All students are required to have the following materials upon the start of the class:

Please note: no jeans, jewelry, nail polish, or false eyelashes are permitted during class time.

We cannot continue to sit idly by while white supremacists emboldened by President Trump continue to terrorize this country.

The President often lies and uses hate speech, referring to people from other countries as “criminals and rapists” or “foreign terrorists.” This rhetoric doesn’t just instill fear in white Americans, but encourages white supremacist terrorism like the attacks last week, and an overall rise in hate crimes. And he implements policies that limit individual freedom, safety, and general welfare.

That’s why we need to hold both the President and his Republican supporters in Congress accountable by voting them out of office November 6th.

Of course voting is just one way we can all fight back against hate. We can also use our voices to let the people in our lives – our family members, our friends, our neighbors – know that we do not condone white supremacist violence. We can support the work that young people, people of color, and LGBTQ people are doing to address inequality and oppression. We can march. We can sing. We can stand in solidarity together.

Because if there’s one thing home care workers know, it’s that we are stronger together… and not one of us is free until we are all free.

On behalf of 110,000 home care workers across the state of California, I send condolences to the families of these victims and encourage you to stay prayerful, stay vigilant, and stay the course.

UDW caregivers fight for IHSS and the clients who need it—at the kitchen table, at the bargaining table, and at the California State Legislature, where many critical decisions about our program and how it is funded are made. This year, UDW members won a number of important victories, and helped these bills become law:

Because there are currently no protections in place for us, many IHSS providers have endured sexual harassment in the workplace in silence. To begin to end this abuse, UDW co-sponsored AB 3082, which requires the Department of Social Services to establish sexual harassment education for providers and consumers, and develop proposals to collect data that will work towards addressing sexual harassment in the IHSS program.

Wildfires and other natural disasters have a disproportionate effect on the seniors and people with disabilities who are cared for under the IHSS program. To protect our clients during natural disasters, we co-sponsored SB 1040. This new law ensures that IHSS recipients receive the care and services they need during natural disasters and that counties include plans specifically for IHSS recipients in their emergency response plans.

Providers who are too sick to go to work put themselves and their clients at risk. A provider backup system would ensure that there is no disruption to a client’s continuity of care. AB 1811 directs the state to work with the IHSS provider paid sick leave workgroup to collect evidence and continues to put pressure on the state to mandate backup systems.

As California’s population of seniors and people with disabilities continues to increase, it is crucial that we invest in and plan for the future of long-term care. SB 840 allocates $3 million from the General Fund for the collection and analysis of data on long-term services and supports in California through the California Health Interview Survey.

SB 840 also has language that protects client and provider privacy in the implementation of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), which we successfully delayed until at least 2020.

We will be back at the legislature for the 2019 session, making sure that our IHSS program is protected for the future—and that caregivers’ voices are heard!

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

As your Statewide President, I have been busy this Fall making sure caregiver voices are heard up and down California—and in Washington, DC. Many important issues are at stake this election year, and many of them directly affect us and our clients. From protecting our IHSS program to ensuring that our families have health care and affordable housing, the people we elect can make all the difference in the well-being of those we care for—and about.

That’s why caregivers get involved in the political process: to elect more people into office who understand our struggles, and to hold them accountable once they get there. Caring for my daughter taught me that I have more strength and resilience than I believed possible; becoming a leader in UDW taught me that there are hundreds of thousands of strong, resilient people just like me in our state.

This election year I, along with the other elected leaders of your union, have held candidates feet to the fire on one basic principle: We will only endorse those who understand how hard we work, how important that work it, and how unjust it is that we are paid so poorly. As a result of our rigorous endorsement process, we have come up with a list of candidates for state and local offices that we are confident will stand up for caregivers and the IHSS program. You can find that list here:

Let everyone know that Caregivers Vote! And, after the election, join me in continuing to make sure that elected officials hear from us. Together, we have the power to make the world a better place.

This event at our Sacramento office celebrated a slate of UDW-endorsed women running for their first political office.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, August 20

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

I met with our members in Imperial County to discuss their regular business and talk to them about statewide issues.

I helped honor the graduates of this important training program founded by UDW that gives community members free training in the culinary field.

I joined our District 4 members for food and music as well as updates on the IHSS program.

I met by phone with the CARA board of directors to bring the caregiver perspective to the board’s planning activities.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, August 26

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, August 29

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

I met by phone with our Communications Committee to plan the upcoming version of The Caregiver

I joined our Imperial County Local Board to work on important issues for our members.

I attended the regional convention of the California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) at the Maidu Community Center in Roseville.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, September 13

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

I spoke in support of Proposition 1 at the CARA regional convention. Proposition 1 supports $4 billion for affordable housing for veterans and other Californians.

I attended this regional CARA convention to ensure caregiver issues are included in retirement activism.

I attended this meeting of our District 3 members and talked to them about our endorsed list of statewide candidates and encouraged them to get out to vote.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, September 21

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), Steering Committee meeting, San Diego Chapter, September 26

I am part of the PWC San Diego Chapter and we are meeting to plan an October 20 event on overtime protection for domestic workers.

I attended this important UDW-sponsored event that helps our members and families maintain their health.

I met by phone with the other elected officers of our union to discuss special business.

I spoke to our District 4 members about the importance of voting and we heard from our local legislators there, Senator Cathleen Galgiani and Assemblymember Adam Gray.

I joined our Imperial County Local Board to work on important issues for our members.

Last year we fought hard to protect the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid when Congress tried to repeal and gut them, because doing so would have meant hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to IHSS. But in spite of our best efforts, some California lawmakers refused to support home care and voted to cut IHSS several times.

Now we can tell them how we feel about that by voting them out of office! Here are the lawmakers that voted to cut care for millions of our state’s seniors and people with disabilities:

*Darrell Issa is not running for reelection. To see a list of candidates endorsed by UDW, visit: www.udwa.org/election-2018

So you’ve done your research and you know who you’re going to vote for. Your next step is making sure to get out and vote on November 6th! Don’t have a plan to vote yet? Here’s a checklist that can help:

Visit www.voterstatus.sos.ca.gov to check your registration status, find your polling place, and get answers to all the questions you may have about voting and elections in California.

Learn about Conditional Voter Registration at http://bitly/latevote. And you can still make a difference by making sure your friends, family, and clients return their ballot or get to their polling place.

November is Provider Appreciation Month, a time to thank the thousands of IHSS caregivers across our state who make home care possible for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

We do some of the most important work there is, and yet we are among the lowest paid workers in the state. At UDW, we are caregivers supporting each other so we can earn higher wages, better benefits, and protect the IHSS program. We fight for ourselves and our clients. Together, we will create a future where caregivers are supported and everyone has the care they need. While we work toward that goal, let’s never forget how important the work we do is—and how special the people who do caregiving work are!

I hope to see you at one of the many Provider Appreciation Month celebrations I will be attending in November. Call your local office or visit www.udwa.org to find a provider appreciation event near you.

By this time in an election year, you’ve probably had your fill of politics: the commercials, the mailers, the phone calls. Most of us just want to turn the other way and ignore it.

The problem with ignoring it, though, is that elections decide who will be our lawmakers. And our lawmakers decide what happens to programs like IHSS. So, tuning out the people running for office means tuning out the people who could improve our home care program—or destroy it.

And it’s not just IHSS that’s at stake. As caregivers, the well-being of ourselves, our clients and our families is affected by many decisions made by elected officials. Our clients’ health care and long-term care are funded by government programs. Our own ability to get—or not get—health care is decided by the government. And how much money is spent on the affordable housing, transportation, and social services we need to do our jobs and take care of our families is decided by the government.

Caregivers need to make sure the government hears from us, not just the wealthy and big corporations who have no idea what our lives are really like.

IHSS is funded from federal, state and local money, so from County Supervisors to State Senators, pretty much every person we vote for has some say in the future of the home care program and how much caregivers get paid. But there are other issues at stake this year that could affect our care:

IHSS is partially funded by Medicaid, and that’s where a lot of us and our clients get our health care, too. Last year Congress passed a huge tax cut for the wealthy that created a big deficit. That deficit now will need to be paid for by cutting programs. We need to make sure we have people in

office that understand how critical programs like Medicaid and IHSS are to people like us and our clients and loved ones.

As caregivers, we are advocates of the people we care for. So we know that legislation like HR 620, a bill currently in Congress that would weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), can harm our clients and loved ones. We need to know that any member of Congress we vote for would keep doors open for people with disabilities—not slam them in their faces.

Elected officials don’t just make the laws, they appoint judges who interpret those laws. Recent anti-worker decisions, like 2014’s Harris v. Quinn and 2018’s Janus v. AFSCME, have come from a Supreme Court that has been stacked by lawmakers who favor wealthy corporations over working people. We can change that by electing people who understand that the constitution is supposed to be about protecting everyone, not just people who make a lot of money.

There is too much to lose, so don’t let other people speak for you. Vote, and make caregivers’ voices heard!

To see a list of candidates who are committed to caregiver issues, check out UDW’s endorsements at www.udwa.org/election-2018.

IHSS providers fill an essential need for California: caring for low-income seniors and people with disabilities in their homes so they can live in comfort and with dignity—and so the state doesn’t have to pay for more costly institutional care.

We save money and we save lives, but often we are paid like we don’t matter. UDW caregivers are fighting to change that.

The power of our united voices can really make a difference—and our voices are bringing wins for our members in many counties. In San Diego County last year, we won a raise and dropped health care premiums from $70/month to $30/month, and effectively eliminated the health insurance wait list. In San Luis Obispo County, members won a new contract that rose wages to $12/hr right away, and then to $13/hr in 2019. Tuolumne County is also getting a raise: $11.50/hr on July 1, 2018, $12.50 on January 1, 2019 and $13.50/hr on January 1, 2020!

But these wage and benefit increases aren’t just handed to us—we have to push the counties and show that we are serious. If you want to help raise caregiver pay, contact your county UDW office to find out how you can get involved!

[toggle_content title=”San Diego County“]Our members in San Diego got a much-needed $1/hr raise on January 1, 2018, thanks to a new contract UDW members there worked for and signed a few months earlier. The contract calls for increases every year until 2022 when the rate will reach $15.50/hr. It also increased funding for health insurance, effectively eliminating the wait list—and lowered all Kaiser premiums to just $30 a month (down from $70!).[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”San Luis Obispo County“]In a huge victory for caregivers in SLO, our members negotiated a great new contract! Upon final ratification of the agreement, IHSS providers will be getting a raise to $12/hr, then $13/hr starting in 2019! The contract will also include up to $4,000/year to reimburse providers for costs of training done through CAIPTC.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Tuolumne County“]Thanks to the hard work of our members in Tuolumne County fighting for what they need from the county, IHSS providers there started getting paid $11.50/hr on July 1, 2018. And that’s not all; the new contract guarantees that pay will go up for the next two years: to $12.50/hr on January 1, 2019 and to $13.50/hr on January 1, 2020. The new contract also provides funding for medical supplies for home care providers.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Santa Barbara County“]Our Santa Barbara members got a 10 cent per hour bump in pay on July 1, 2018, thanks to our current contract, which is up for negotiation next year. Then we will have the opportunity to push for another wage increase and other important priorities for caregivers.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Alpine County“]IHSS providers in Alpine County just became UDW members last year and are hard at work hammering out a great first contract. This means caregivers will have new protections and benefits written into an agreement with the county that they will have to follow. That’s the power of having a union! For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-866-307-7271.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Mono County“]Providers in Mono County began bargaining for our first raise on April 10, 2018. This is a new process for the county and us, but we are ready and organized to push for real progress! We want a real wage increase and they know we are serious. We are meeting with the county mid-September to get this deal done! For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-866-307-7271.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Stanislaus County“]Our current IHSS contract in Stanislaus is in effect until June 30, 2019. We are preparing for negotiations next year by reaching out to members, setting priorities, and building power to push for higher wages and more respect for home care. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-866-307-7271.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Madera, Mariposa, and Merced Counties“]The Boards of Supervisors in these three counties don’t want to give IHSS providers a raise, but we’re not taking “no” for an answer. Even though our contracts in each county have expired—Madera in 2014, Mariposa in 2017 and Merced in 2015—officials in each of these counties have rejected every offer we have made so far… so it’s time to turn up the heat with rallies and actions! We will turn our members out to every BOS meeting until we get the respect we deserve. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-866-255-7313 (Merced and Mariposa) or 559-395-4772 (Madera).[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Kern County“]The Board of Supervisors in Kern insulted caregivers by proposing a three-year contract with no wage increases as their final offer. We rejected this insult, of course! Though we are now at impasse with the county, caregivers in Kern County aren’t giving up. We are organizing members there to build our strength and move forward to show the county that caregivers will not be disrespected! For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-800-851-7272.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Butte County“] Last year, the Butte County Board of Supervisors wanted to increase wages only if they could cut money from health care and our members said “NO!”. We countered their proposal with a demand for the real pay raise we need, and have been showing up at board meetings to show them we mean business. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 530-894-2702.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”El Dorado County“] El Dorado’s Board of Supervisors offered a raise only if they could take the money for it out of our health care. That’s not a raise, and we aren’t having it. We’ve been making our voices heard at county meetings, not just for ourselves, but also in support of the other workers the county is trying to stiff. UDW members know that there is power in numbers and our solidarity will lead to a real wage increase for the hard work we do. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-888-228-0837.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Nevada, Plumas, and Sierra Counties“] The Tri-County supervisors’ bargaining proposal is a non-starter: so far they’ve offered to give is a small raise but only if we take it from health care. That’s not a raise, that’s an insult, and IHSS providers deserve better. We have meeting scheduled for September and will continue to call out these counties for their wrong-headed approach to caregiver pay. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-888-228-0837.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Sutter County“] Sutter providers haven’t had a raise since 2015 and, at $11/hr, the time for better pay is NOW. We have an upcoming bargaining session in September and our members are ready to demand the county stop putting us off and show us the respect we deserve—with the pay raise we need. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-888-228-0837.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Placer County“]Our members in Placer County are long overdue for a raise–$11/hr just doesn’t cut it in this county. Our old contract expired in 2016 and we are making it clear in negotiations that’s it’s time for a raise NOW. We have told the county we want 90 cents above minimum wage plus money for vision and dental. We meet again soon. Stay tuned for good news from Placer! For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-888-228-0837.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Imperial County“] Since our contract expired in 2017, we have been making very reasonable proposals to the county for a wage increase. Their response? No money. We have taken our stories straight to the county Board of Supervisors meetings and made sure they know what it is like to try to live on $11/hr. We have another bargaining session on the schedule for early September and we are prepared to push back every offer they make that doesn’t raise our pay! For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 760-425-4034.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Orange County“] IHSS providers in Orange County are locked in battle with our Board of Supervisors and their chairman Andrew Do, who are ignoring the needs of seniors and people with disabilities in our county by refusing to use available funds to give caregivers a much-needed raise. But by increasing pressure on the county by joining with other community members and groups, we will make the Orange County Board of Supervisors realize we will not stop until we have what we need to take care of ourselves and our clients. Check out this front page article about our efforts in OC Weekly. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-877-483-9937.[/toggle_content]

[toggle_content title=”Riverside County“] Currently at an hourly rate of $11.50/hr, UDW Riverside members are working against a county Board of Supervisors who don’t want to budge on investing in the lifesaving work of home care. But we are ramping up our efforts—and our visibility—with rallies to pressure the county to get their priorities straight and pay caregivers enough to pay their own bills on time. For more information and to find out how you can get involved, call 1-866-417-7300.[/toggle_content]

California’s family child care system needs a lot of improvement—any provider can tell you that. Rates are too low to cover expenses, Alternative Payment (AP) programs sometimes pay late and have confusing eligibility rules, and the state keeps changing the rules for how we keep our licenses.

That’s why California Childcare Providers United (CCPU-UDW) came together: to push for changes to make California’s childcare system work better for providers and the children and families they serve. In just a couple of years, we’ve been able to make a real difference for family child care providers in the 39 counties we represent.

By meeting regularly with the Department of Social Services (DSS), CCPU-UDW providers have been able to bring our stories and our concerns into the state’s decision-making process. We’ve helped providers all over the state prepare for new mandatory trainings. And by getting involved in the legislative process, we’ve been able to make significant improvements to the way AP programs work.

This summer we’ve been busy getting members together—and getting our voices heard by the state officials who make decisions about childcare.

There’s so much we can do when we come together. Contact CCPU-UDW at [email protected], or 1-888-226-7510 to find out more and get involved!

On July 12 the federal agency that manages Medicaid announced a proposed rule change that, if implemented, would prohibit in-home care providers who work for Medicaid-funded home care programs from choosing to having certain funds automatically deducted from their paychecks.

The right-wing billionaires in favor of this new rule say it’s about preventing “dues skimming” from Medicaid payments. But these kinds of voluntary paycheck deductions—primarily health insurance payments and union dues—are common for workers of all kinds, and the only real reason to ban them is to jeopardize caregivers’ health care and bankrupt their unions.

But this new rule isn’t just about attacking unions. Prohibiting caregivers from paying union dues makes it even harder for a marginalized workforce to advocate for themselves and the seniors and people with disabilities that they care for. With this rule change, the Trump Administration will drive even more caregivers out of this vital workforce. This is serious: everyday people in our country are struggling to find quality and affordable long-term care. We need these caregivers now more than ever. Maybe Donald Trump will have enough cash to pay for round-the-clock care in his twilight years, but what about the rest of us?

The future of long-term care in America was certainly not at the forefront for the Trump Administration when they proposed this rule change, which has been celebrated by anti-worker extremists like the Freedom Foundation, their friends at the State Policy Network, and the Koch brothers. And, as it comes with an unusually short 30-day public comment period, it’s plain to see that this is a rush to change an established practice for purely ideological reasons.

Many states have programs that pay for home care for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. These programs are largely funded by Medicaid, along with state and local dollars. In California, caregivers serve over half a million seniors and people with disabilities through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. My union, the United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930) represents more than 100,000 IHSS caregivers in 21 counties up and down the state. Our members receive paychecks from IHSS through the state’s Department of Social Services (DSS) and they choose to have their dues automatically deducted from their checks, like all union workers. That IHSS is partially funded by Medicaid is irrelevant. These are paychecks, pure and simple, and workers have the freedom to decide how their paycheck is spent.

This rule change also flies in the face of the 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Harris v. Quinn, which made home care “right-to-work” and paved the way for Janus v. AFSCME. Theunderlying premise of the Harris decision was that home care workers’ paychecks are their own property to do with as they choose. But this proposed rule change says the exact opposite: that these same workers cannot use their paychecks as they choose. In their rush to destroy labor unions, the Trump Administration and the corporate interests who drive its policy want to have it both ways.

It’s important to note that home care workers in this country are primarily women and people of color who make poverty wages—at or just above minimum wage in most cases. Our union has fought tooth and nail to increase pay for California’s caregivers. Every year, our members advocate for additional funding for the IHSS program in the budget process, they worked legislatively to raise the minimum wage, and they bargain for their wages and benefits with county boards of supervisors. Without a union to bring caregiver voices to the halls of power, home care workers will be silenced in matters that directly affect them, their clients, and their families. This new rule will not only financially hurt home care unions, whose members work in private homes and are often isolated from each other, it will eliminate the last line of defense against devastating cuts to life-saving home care programs. Ultimately, this is an attack on seniors and people with disabilities and the low-income women of color who care for them.

Our members choose to pay dues because they know that having a union means not just building better lives for themselves, but protecting the quality care their clients and loved ones rely on. The truth is, most of us will need long-term care in our lives. If we want to avoid a dire future where seniors and people with disabilities lose these critical services, we need to stop this dangerous rule before it starts.

As your Statewide President, I spent a big part of my summer preparing for conventions, both our UDW Constitutional Convention and the International Convention of AFSCME, which we are an affiliate of. Conventions are a lot of work for everyone involved, but the important work we do there and the wonderful fellowship we share as union members make them very special experiences.

UDW’s 16^th Constitutional Convention was held Jun 7-9 in San Diego. Our union’s bylaws call for conventions to be held every three years to report on what we’ve accomplished so far and prepare for what’s ahead. Members elected by their fellow caregivers to be delegates gathered under a slogan that reflects the work we do and what it takes to do it: “Caregiver Strong”.

I was happy to report on the many victories our union has won for our members and clients over the past three years. I’m proud of us and excited for what we will do in the future!

The next month, I led a group of delegates to the AFSCME Convention in Boston. Held July 16-20, we brought a real sense of UDW’s “Caregiver Strong” personality to the convention floor. Our delegates spoke on behalf of and voted for AFSCME resolutions that would protect care, stop harassment of union members by groups like the Freedom Foundation, support an immigration system based on compassion, not cruelty, and other working family issues critical to our members. We also took the chance to educate other AFSCME affiliates about the proposed CMS rule change that is aimed at taking away UDW members rights—and how they can help. (Find out more about the proposed rule here)

Another priority for myself and the rest of the UDW Executive Board this summer has been the 2018 elections. Nothing is more important for protecting care for ourselves, our clients, and the IHSS program than electing lawmakers who support us. I hope you all voted in the primary on June 5! Even if you didn’t vote then, it is still important for you to get out this election day and make sure your voice is heard. To register to vote or to find out if you are registered, go to the Secretary of State’s website.

Don’t forget to vote! IHSS is depending on you. And it’s also a good time for you to contribute to PEOPLE program!

I helped our District 8 members organize and plan for an upcoming membership meeting.

I attended this meeting to promote the PEOPLE program and update members about the upcoming UDW and AFSCME conventions.

I met with delegates to the UDW convention from District 3 to prepare them for their convention duties.

I met with new members from this area to promote UDW councils. I also met with UDW-endorsed elected leaders to ensure they are following-up on UDW’s priorities.

I updated our District 1 members in advance of the upcoming UDW and AFSCME conventions. I encouraged members to get actively involved in their union.

I attended this event to celebrate about 25 District 1 volunteers with an appreciate certificate, lunch, and thank you gifts.

I attended this District 1 event in the Chula Vista area where our members signed up for the PEOPLE program and signed up for the UDW volunteer list to support our many community activities.

I joined elected leaders and other guest speakers at this fun event in District 6. I updated District 6 members on the upcoming UDW and AFSCME conventions and explained out they can get more deeply involved in their union by signing for an upcoming leadership academy training.

In my role as Statewide President, I presided over this meeting of our elected delegates as we set the course for UDW’s next three years.

I met with the elected leaders all of our districts to address our union’s business.

I participated in this founding event for our retiree’s group that will bring the energy and talents of members who are no longer caregivers back into our union.

I met with our members in District 3 and shared a report on our successful UDW convention, including resolutions that have passed and our awaiting approval from AFSCME.

I met with our District 2 members to share my reflections on our successful UDW convention and encouraged them to sign up for the UDW leadership academy.

At this meeting, I let the District 1 delegates in a conversation about what worked at the convention and what could be improved. Our delegates were very positive in the debrief, expressing pride in the roles they played in the convention and committing to volunteer and take leadership roles in their district.

I served as a delegate to the International Convention and led our delegation in our constitutional duties as we helped shape AFSCME’s agenda and raised awareness of caregiver issues among AFSCME members in different industries.

I joined the district board for a meeting to prepare for the next meeting of their general membership.

I gave members in this district reports from both the UDW and AFSCME conventions. I encouraged them to re-sign the authorization card and get involved volunteering at the Santa Maria office.

Met on calls with UDW and AFSCME staff to prepare for our founding retiree convention on June 10.

On this call, members of UDW’s Communication Committee worked on ideas and assignments for the upcoming edition of the Caregiver.

This call, led by Executive Director Doug Moore, outlined the threats we face from the proposed new CMS rule and how we will fight back—and win. (Find out more about the proposed rule here)

The purpose of this call was to talk about candidate endorsements for the 2018 general election.

Most IHSS recipients receive their home care as part of their Medi-Cal benefits. Some people’s income is too high for them to qualify for full coverage of their hours, so they agree to pay a certain amount each month toward their Medi-Cal expenses before Medi-Cal will pay. That amount is called Share-of-Cost (SOC). The SOC may be paid to the IHSS provider, a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or when purchasing other medically necessary goods or services.

Your client receives an “Explanation of Share-of-Cost” letter the California Department of Social Services that tells them how much SOC they need to pay out of their own pocket during that pay period. It will also appear on your timesheet under “Share-of-Cost” liability. The amount may change from pay period to pay period based on whether your client paid any SOC on other medical expenses. Their SOC liability is what they own you as their IHSS provider.

The best way to avoid problems is to know ahead of time if your client has a SOC. It is your right to ask your client if they have a SOC. If they have a SOC they will owe you money directly out of their pocket each pay period for services you provide.

If your client does not pay the wages they owe you, which is their SOC, the Public Authority will not intervene to collect the money and the only way you may be able to get it is by pursuing action in small claims court.

When it comes to SOC, knowledge is power. Always know who is paying you—or not paying you—before you find out the hard way!

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

UDW members have a new tool to help navigate the IHSS system—all in the palm of our hands. Our newest member benefit is a FREE app for our iPhones or Android phones that allows us to plan timesheets and avoid violations, get help with IHSS hours, contact local IHSS and UDW offices, check on paycheck status, sign up for direct deposit, access UDW member benefits, and so much more.

To get it, simply search your app store for ‘IHSS Help’ and download it onto your phone or visit www.udwa.org/ihss-help-app. You’ll need your UDW Member ID number to login to the app – which you can find on your UDW membership card or by calling the Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016.

I’ve been a caregiver for 23 years, and I’ve always enjoyed being there for others. But recently I got shocking news: I had accrued four IHSS timesheet violations for making accidental mistakes on my timesheets, and I was facing removal from the IHSS program for a year! I knew I needed someone to be there for me, so I called my union.

I have three clients with a variety of needs who depend on me. But I was having issues with filling out my timesheet correctly and figuring out how to record my travel time to doctor’s appointments. Before I knew it I was being told I might lose my job.

I love being an IHSS caregiver. When I found out I might be kicked out of the IHSS program, I was scared. Who would care for my three clients? How would I support my ten-year-old son?

Thankfully, I remembered that I had a union that would help me in times like this. I called my local office and found out that, as members of UDW, we have access to free help navigating IHSS—something outside organizations have charged up to $7,000 for. The union helped me fill out the paperwork to appeal my violations and suspension from IHSS. With their help, I had the violations removed and am able to continue to care for my clients.

UDW helped me make sure I could still be there for my clients and continue to support my family. I don’t know what I would have done without them. If you need help with IHSS, reach out to UDW! They’ll do whatever they can to help.

On June 7-9, our elected delegates gathered for our 16^thConstitutional Convention under a slogan that reflects the work we do and what it takes to do it— “Caregiver Strong”. Over three days of work, planning, and drawing inspiration from each other, we set a course for UDW’s future that focuses on protecting IHSS, raising the pay and status of caregivers, and standing up for the values we share as working people.

Excited to try out these new IHSS tools, but still anxious about using new technology? Here are some tips for getting started:

To stay updated on all the latest technology and tools to help make IHSS easier, stay connected with UDW! Visit www.udwa.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UDW to find out the latest developments and ways you can get involved.

With the development of new technology comes new tools—and changes to IHSS. But don’t worry, your union is here to help!

You’ve heard about some of this new technology already—from online timesheets and the new UDW mobile app to the Federally-mandated Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)—and you may be thinking, “am I the only one who’s not thrilled about all this?”

Absolutely not! Many of us don’t like change, particularly when it comes to learning new technology. It can be difficult to adjust to new ways of doing things, especially things we’ve been doing for a long time, like filling out paper timesheets. But when we face our fears and learn how to use new tools and tech, we often change our lives for the better.

And many of the new tools out there for IHSS actually help us save time once we learn how to use them—a big deal for busy caregivers like us.

We fought hard for online timesheets for IHSS providers and, since the program was rolled out last year, thousands of us are using it and getting paid faster and avoiding costly timesheet violations. Enrolling in online timesheets and registering an account on the state’s ETS website, www.etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov, is relatively easy—and your local UDW office is happy to help you and your client sign up!

When you fill out your timesheets online, there’s no waiting for it to be mailed. You can also more easily avoid timesheet violations, get paid faster, and easily track the location of your timesheet and paycheck!

Once you register an account on the state’s ETS website, you can also sign up for direct deposit online. Direct deposit means your paycheck will never get lost in the mail again, because your IHSS pay will be automatically sent to your bank account electronically. Importantly, you don’t have to be using online timesheets to sign up for direct deposit online.

Want direct deposit but don’t have a bank account? Visit www.udwa.org/prepaidcard to sign up for a low-fee, easy-to-use prepaid debit card you can use to get direct deposit of your IHSS pay.

EVV will require us to electronically track the type of care we provide our clients. Although our union has been successful in helping to delay the implementation of EVV and protect our privacy (the state promises no GPS tracking!), they do plan to eventually implement EVV through their ETS website, with an option to report our hours over the phone, as well. At that time the state plans to get rid of paper timesheets altogether, so it’s good to get in the habit of using the ETS website now.

A proposed federal rule change will prevent IHSS providers from paying for our health insurance and union dues out of our own paychecks—meaning you could lose your health care if you don’t act now. This rule change not only jeopardizes our health care, it also threatens our ability to come together in a strong union to fight for IHSS and the clients we serve.

We have fought hard to earn health insurance through our union and we can’t let this proposed rule change threaten our care. We are #CaregiverStrong and we will not stop fighting to protect our clients and loved ones!

New rule could endanger low-income seniors and people with disabilities and the caregivers they rely on

For Immediate Release | July 12, 2018 | Contact Margitte Kristjansson: 619-548-4304.

Yesterday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed rule change that would prohibit unionized home care workers from paying their union dues directly from their own paychecks.

The rule change is based on an incorrect characterization of how dues are collected from in-home care providers who work for programs that are partially-funded by Medicaid, and the 30-day comment period allotted for this proposed rule means that the Trump Administration intends to push it through quickly.

“To be clear, these are voluntary paycheck deductions coming from home care workers who have joined their union—a basic right in America,” said UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 Executive Director Doug Moore, whose union represents 100,000 caregivers who serve low-income seniors and people with disabilities through California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program. “This rule change makes it even harder for home care workers to come together in a union and advocate for themselves and their clients.”

This couldn’t come at a worse time: there already aren’t enough home care workers to care for everyone who needs it, and the aging baby boomer population threatens to push the long-term care crisis into a humanitarian catastrophe. The only way to prevent this is to recruit and retain care workers by offering better wages, benefits, and working conditions, something only unionization has a proven record of doing.

“Our members choose to pay dues because they know that having a union means not just better wages and benefits, but protecting the quality care their clients and loved ones rely on. Jeopardizing their ability to pay dues isn’t just an attack on unions like ours—it’s an attack on the elderly and people with disabilities who deserve quality long-term care,” Moore added.

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a home care union made up of over 108,000 in-home caregivers in 21 counties across the state of California. UDW caregivers provide critical services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence.

Family child care providers make working outside the home possible for millions of families in our state, and as early childhood educators we play a critical role in the development and education of children across California.

Please take a moment to sign our petition to stand with California’s family child care providers, and share it with your friends and family on Facebook and Twitter.

[flat_button text=”SIGN THE PETITION” title=”Flat Button” url=”https://actionnetwork.org/forms/stand-with-family-childcare-providers” padding=”10px 20px” bg_color=”#005daa” border_color=”#005daa” border_width=”1px” text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_size=”14px” align=”center” target=”https://actionnetwork.org/forms/stand-with-family-childcare-providers”]

A majority of child care workers in California are paid so little they qualify for public assistance programs, according to a new reporton the early education workforce.

Fifty-eight percent of child care workers in California are on one or more public assistance programs, such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federally funded program that helps pay for food, housing and other expenses, the report by UC Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment found. This is according to the most recent data by the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey.

Researchers said while there is little debate about how “woefully underfunded” some early childhood programs are, policy rarely addresses workers’ economic well-being. In 2017, the median wage for childcare workers in California was $12.29 per hour, a 3 percent increase from 2015. Statewide, the median annual income for child care workers is $25,570, the report states.

The federal poverty level, based on annual income $24,250 for a family of four. This differs from the California Poverty Measure which factors in the state’s cost of living. Based on this measure, the poverty level in California is $30,000, for a family of four giving California one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation.

In a state-by-state analysis researchers found that only five states including Colorado and Arizona pay child care workers enough to meet the livable wage standards in the state. Nationwide, 53 percent of child care workers were on at least one public assistance program between 2014 and 2016, the Early Workforce Index report states. In 2017, the median wage for U.S. child care workers was $10.72 per hour or $22.290 per year.

The report, released June 27, includes a comprehensive analysis of efforts made in 50 states to improve early childhood education workforce conditions, such as work environments and compensation.

Child care workers in the report include adults who work with infants and toddlers in child care centers and some home-based settings. In California, education and training requirements vary among child care programs and there are different credential requirements for staff such as lead teacher or teacher assistant and aide. Statewide, licensed child care centers and homes do not have a degree requirement and child workers are not required to have a bachelor’s degree. Some child care centers who contract directly with the state do require staff to have some early childhood education coursework or college units.

“While a major goal of early childhood services has been to relieve poverty among children, many of these same efforts continue to generate poverty in the early care and education workforce, who are predominantly female, ethnically and racially diverse and often have children of their own,” the report states.

The report measures the rate of improvement in five main categories: compensation (goals for increasing how much child care workers and other early educators earn as starting and ongoing wages), workforce data (developing and improving the way states collect and analyze data on early childhood programs), qualifications (goals for increasing access to education and training, aligning education requirements for those who teach children under age 5), financial resources (steps taken to increase funding for early education programs and teaching staff) and work environments (availability of quality supports for staff such as lesson planning time). The report provides a state-by-state comparisonin all five categories.

In four of the five categories, California’s status is listed as “stalled.” For the fifth category — work environments — information wasn’t available. “Stalled” is defined as the state making limited or no progress. Researchers used a scoring system of 0-12 for each policy area. A zero to 4 earned a “stalled” rating.

The report states there has been limited progress in raising the wages of child care workers and even the modest increases that have been made are unequal.

Nationwide, median wages for child care workers increased by 7 percent between 2015 and 2017. Child care workers are classified as “low wage” based on median wages across occupations.

Researchers have also identified what they call a “racial wage gap,” which predominantly affects women of color, who comprise 40 percent of the workforce. After accounting for educational attainment, African-American early educators still earn 78 cents less per hour or ($1,622.40 less per year for a full-time worker) than their white counterparts, said Marcy Whitebook, workforce specialist for The Center for the Study of Early Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley. This estimate includes African-American child care workers who work at centers and some preschool teachers, researchers said. Women of color also occupy a disproportionate share of the lowest-paying jobs in the field and hold fewer leadership positions, the report states.

The report also found those who work with infants and toddlers earn less than those who work with children ages 3 to 5. Nationwide, this pay difference disproportionately affects African-Americans, 52 percent of whom work with infants and toddlers compared to 43 percent of all child care workers in child care centers.

One key recommendation in the report is to establish a process to include more child care workers and other early educators, such as preschool teachers, in conversations about how to reform or improve the profession. It states that many child care workers and preschool teachers are left out of critical conversations on policies that directly impact their well-being.

This year UDW caregivers have been hard at work in Sacramento to protect our privacy in the implementation of EVV, and get funding for research that will help California better understand how to fix our long-term care system.

On June 27, we were victorious! California Governor Jerry Brown signed a 2018-2019 budget that not only protects our privacy, but also includes significant funding for long-term care research and data collection.

Since we launched the Care Agenda last year, UDW has successfully brought the long-term care crisis into sharper focus for state officials. We have educated them on how the low wages caregivers receive makes it hard to find care for all the seniors and people with disabilities who need it. And how, with the state’s senior population set to skyrocket with the aging of the Baby Boomers, we need real planning and real solutions.

This year we asked the state to fund a comprehensive study of Long Term Services and Supports—the government term for long-term care—so California can begin to build the long-term care workforce we need. Thanks to the efforts of many UDW members, we are happy to report the budget includes $3 million dollars to make long term care planning a much bigger priority in our state!

Another crucial win for caregivers and our clients in the budget was privacy. Many IHSS providers and our clients are concerned about the upcoming federal law mandating EVV, so we were there every step of the way as the state developed their plan to roll out EVV. As a result of our advocacy, the state’s plan for EVV as outlined in the budget is basically an extension of electronic timesheets—with no GPS, real-time check-ins, or detailed task descriptions.

Another win for UDW members is we will now be able to bargain on behalf of Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) providers. This means we can extend the benefits of membership to more home care workers. It also means we will be able to build our membership power so we can continue to fight for meaningful change in long-term care for ourselves and the people we care for.

Let’s keep up the good work! Stay updated at www.facebook.com/UDW or call your local office to get involved.

After my fourth IHSS timesheet violation I was facing losing my job. I knew I was in over my head, so I turned to my union. Thanks to UDW’s help, I’m back where I’m needed—caring for my clients.

I have been a caregiver for 23 years and currently have three clients who keep me very busy: Joseph, Bobby, and Ernest. Ernest has had triple-bypass surgery, a pacemaker in his chest, back problems, and is unable to stand for more than 20 minutes. Joseph is paralyzed on the left side of his body. He has high blood pressure. Bobby has schizophrenia; I need to monitor him because he is unable to live on his own.

Because I love my job, I was really scared when I started getting violations and was in danger of being suspended for a year.

My first violation involved my client Ernest. They told me I was claiming too much travel time when I went from my house to Ernest’s house to his doctor’s office. If he had three doctor appointments, I was only allowed to take him to two. I explained to the social worker that Ernest is 65 years old and had just had open heart surgery. I took him to the appointments he needed and got a violation for it.

My second violation was caring for Joseph. He had just come from seeing the doctor and got really sick and passed out. I was told that I couldn’t go over his approved hours even though he clearly needed extra help, and to leave him in bed and he would be OK. I worked the extra hours for him anyway.

I’m not really clear on how I got the third violation. They said it couldn’t be removed since I had two violations in one year and that counted as a third violation. The social worker said it was removed and then later said it wasn’t supposed to be removed.

I was very upset. I had never had in violation in the 23 years I’ve been doing this. But timesheets change every week and it can be very confusing. We adjust and get used to it, but we don’t get much help from IHSS. After I got my 4th violation, I was offered a class. Wouldn’t it have been more useful to offer me a class BEFORE my 4th violation?

I was very frustrated and afraid. My job is what pays the bills for my home. A one-year suspension would put me out of work for a year. I have a 10-year-old son to support. I have clients who rely on me. Ernest is set in his ways and it took a long time for him to adjust to me. He doesn’t like strangers in his home. Joseph is a quiet person and he won’t tell you he’s in pain if he’s in pain. You have to know him. Bobby takes medication. He can be violent without medication.

Thankfully, I went to the union and they gave me the help I needed. They helped me file a successful appeal and my violations were removed. Without UDW advocacy, it would have been very difficult to do everything on my own. There was a lot I didn’t understand.

To other providers, I suggest that you go to the union as soon as possible. Without representation, the paperwork is very difficult to understand. The social worker is not always helpful. Without the union, you are basically on your own. But we’re not alone when we have our union—they reach out and help us. They ensure that we get the help we need so we can be there for our clients.

UDW Executive Director Doug Moore responds to U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME

With its decision in Janus vs. AFSCME, the Supreme Court has created a serious challenge to working people and shown itself to be now firmly in the hands of wealthy corporations. As low-income workers who depend on the ability to join together in a union, we recognize any attempts to eliminate unions is an attempt to eliminate our power to protect ourselves and the clients we care for—and we will not take it laying down.

As you may have read earlier, the Janus case is funded and supported by anti-worker groups like the Freedom Foundation and billionaires like the Koch brothers who want to get rid of unions so employers can pay workers as much—or as little—as they want. The Janus decision helps them by banning fair share fees and making it harder to fight for better wages and fight back against attacks on our rights.

Though UDW is an AFSCME local, we are not as directly impacted by the Janusruling as other unions. A 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Harris v. Quinn, paved the way for Janus by ruling against agency fees for home care workers. But even though the decision doesn’t affect how we collect dues, now that the anti-union groups have won on Janus you can be sure they will step up their attacks on home care—putting IHSS and the rights we have fought for in danger.

Make no mistake, however: Although those who funded the Janus case are trying to destroy organized labor and our goals of social and economic justice for all, we are not going anywhere.

When Harris made it harder for us to organize in 2014, UDW members fought back. We worked hard to grow our membership and focus on what is important to us: protecting IHSS and the low-income seniors and people with disabilities we care for. We also found new ways to help each other with expanded advocacy programs and tools like the IHSS Help mobile app and the UDW U.S. Bank Focus Card. Our success after Harris shows us—and other unions—how to succeed after Janus by building member power and standing up for the rights of all working people to better our own lives.

Though we strongly reject the Court’s decision, we are proof that Janus won’t stop the labor movement. By doubling down on organizing and serving our members, we not only survived, but built a bigger, more powerful, more engaged membership. We will not only survive, we will thrive. And we will help all working families as we help ourselves.

The United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME 3930), a union representing 100,000 workers who provide home care to low income seniors and people with disabilities through California’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, issued a strong denouncement today of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v AFSCME.

“With its decision in Janus vs. AFSCME, the Supreme Court has created a serious challenge to working people and shown itself to be now firmly in the hands of wealthy corporations,” said UDW Executive Director Doug Moore. “By ruling against the ability of public sector unions to build and support their memberships, the Court has essentially told American workers they are on their own against a rigged system.”

Today’s decision overturns 1977’s Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which affirmed the right of public sector unions to collect “fair share” or “agency” fees from the workers they represent—a right made obvious by the demonstrably higher wages and benefits enjoyed by all workers in a unionized workplace.

UDW caregivers strive to make a difference, not only by bargaining for better wages, benefits and working conditions for themselves, but by engaging on the larger issues of social and economic justice that intersect with workers’ rights. UDW members recognize that they will build better futures for themselves and those they care for by building stronger communities and eradicating inequalities for everyone. As leaders in the field of long-term care, disability rights, income equality, immigration reform, and racial, gender and LGBTQI justice, UDW caregivers are alarmed that the Court would come down so heavily on the side of inequality and injustice.

Though UDW is an AFSCME local, its operations are not directly impacted by the Janus ruling. A 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Harris v. Quinn, paved the way for Janus by ruling against agency fees for home care workers. Since then, UDW has expanded the definition and value of union membership with greater advocacy, financial tools to help members in their daily lives, and increased opportunities to become leaders in their communities. UDW has not only maintained their membership in the face of Harris v. Quinn, but today has more members than ever before.

And though UDW is an example of how to succeed in a “right-to-work” environment, Moore said, the reason for UDW members’ opposition to the Janus decision is clear.

“Because our members are low-income workers who depend on the ability to join together in a union, we recognize any attempt to eliminate unions as an attempt to eliminate our power to protect ourselves and the clients we care for—and we will not take it laying down,” Moore said.”

Last year UDW introduced members to a new benefit that gives us a new way to get paid,and a new way to pay –the Focus CardTM. The Focus Card works everywhere you can use a debit Mastercard. That means buying groceries, shopping online and getting cash from ATMs. And with the Focus Card, even members that don’t have bank accounts can get direct deposit of their IHSS pay. That’s important, because direct deposit allows us to avoid lost or delayed paper checks, as well as check cashing fees from predatory lending companies.

UDW worked hard to find a prepaid card that works for our members, with low and no fees for common transactions, easy online access to your account, and 24/7 customer service.

A lot of members have tried out the Focus Card over the past few months and they’re finding it saves time and money—something we could all use more of.

Rae Munoz, a UDW caregiver in Indio, said the she likes how the Focus Card gives her convenient access to her money with few fees. “It’s perfect because I can go to the bank down the street from my house or the ATM in the grocery store for cash,” she said. “I don’t have to worry about super high fees.”

UDW member Dametrie Williams from Riverside County also loves having the freedom of a debit card without worrying about a lot of fees.

“The Focus Card is awesome!” she said. “I went to US Bank and used the ATM and they didn’t charge me a fee. I ordered stuff online – I didn’t have any problems.”

Sign up for the Focus Card today, and enjoy the perks of direct deposit without unnecessary credit checks. You can use your card anywhere that debit Mastercard is accepted, and because it’s not a bank account or credit card, you can can’t spend more than you have. And your Focus Card can give you the tools to take control of your spending.

“I get the text alerts on my phone, so anytime I use my card it will tell me what I spend and what I have left,” she said. “I can text BAL and my balance will be sent to me. It’s like someone’s sitting there waiting for you to text them so you can get that information right away.” And she said the sign-up process was hassle-free: “I did everything right away and I didn’t have to call anybody for any information. And I received my check at least three business days faster than when I was receiving paper checks!”

Haven’t signed up for a Focus Card yet? To get started, follow these three simple steps:

Be sure to check out the FAQs and cardholder agreement at www.usbankfocus.com. You can view the fees schedule at www.bit.ly.com/focuscardfees

The Focus Card is issued by U.S. Bank National Association pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. © 2017 U.S. Bank. Member FDIC.

UDW members elected by their peers to be delegates gathered in San Diego on June 7-9 for our 16^th Constitutional Convention. Under a slogan that reflects the work we do and what it takes to do it— “Caregiver Strong”—we set a course for UDW’s future that focuses on protecting IHSS, raising the pay and status of caregivers, and standing up for the values we share as working people.

UDW bylaws call for conventions to be held every three years. At convention, we bring our experiences and our wisdom to the table to report on what we’ve accomplished so far and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead of us.

UDW President Editha Adams shared some of our successes and challenges during her President’s report, including: demanding and getting an audit of the IHSS payroll system, winning the option to use online timesheets, overtime pay and restoration of the seven percent cut to IHSS made during the budget crisis. She also talked about the issues we continue to fight: Federal interference in our program from Medicaid cuts and Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) and our most important issue UDW has and will never stop fighting for: raising caregiver pay.

“As I look back on the last three years, I am both proud of what we’ve done and excited for what we can yet accomplish,” said Adams.

When he addressed the convention, UDW Executive Director Doug Moore urged delegates to look to the bigger issues of social justice if we want to truly better life for ourselves and our families.

“As a union, we have always fought for more than just wages and benefits to better our members’ lives,” said Moore. “We know that helping ourselves, our clients and our families means helping our communities and the people in them. UDW is shaping the future by investing in people, always looking for ways we can lift each other up where others try to keep us down.”

Several special guests joined us to show their support for the work that UDW caregivers do. Assemblymember Shirley Weber, AFSCME International President Lee Saunders, President Pro Tem of the California State Senate Toni Atkins and Executive Director of the Solidarity Center Shawna Bader-Blau all addressed our delegates, offering support and perspective for the work caregivers do at home and in their communities. All speakers expressed gratitude and respect for the work that caregivers do.

“I see compassionate people making it possible for the sick and elderly to live in their own homes with comfort and dignity,” said Bader-Blau as she looked around the room.

For UDW member and convention delegate Maria Vega from Orange County, the convention was a valuable learning opportunity. “You learn more, you get to ask questions—everyone’s so helpful!” she said. Vega, who cares for her mother, said she learned about how the union works and is governed, but also about using new technology tools like the UDW App that help her everyday as a caregiver. And, of course, she learned to stay motivated to protect IHSS and our clients. “You keep fighting,” she said, “and you never give up.”

At convention we also passed several resolutions to help guide our future work (see full list below), and made changes to our constitution.

“I felt so privileged to be able to attend,” said UDW caregiver Denise Justice of Santa Barbara County. “Seeing resolutions being passed was very cool and exciting – it gave me the extra push to get out there and be active. The solidarity and comradery of my brothers and sisters at convention was amazing.”

After two days of hard work, we wrapped up convention with a Saturday night gala. Caregivers, who rarely get a night out, put on our dancing shoes and celebrated all that we accomplished together.

We are standing together to protect the IHSS program for our clients

IHSS providers and clients are speaking out against them and their goal to weaken our collective power and our union.

You can find out more about Freedom Foundation, its secretive donors and its anti-worker policies here: www.freedomfoundationfactcheck.com

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 17, 2018
Contact: Cherie Parker (619) 806-4677

Explosive report by The Guardian exposes anti-union “toolkit” funded by Koch brothers, Walmart Family Foundation and Freedom Foundation on eve of Janus vs. AFSCME decision

Home care workers in Orange County who provide care through California’s Medicaid-funded In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program are up against an ominous threat as they bargain to raise their wages out of poverty and protect IHSS: An $80 million “war chest” funded by 66 right-wing thinktanks including the Koch brothers, the Walton Family Foundation and the Washington state-based Freedom Foundation and run by a shadowy umbrella organization called the State Policy Network (SPN). These revelations come on the eve of an expected anti-union U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Janus vs. AFSCME and demand a strong response by elected officials in defense of working families.

Though the Freedom Foundation’s attacks on union members in Orange County have been ongoing, a May 15 report in The Guardian unearthed documents–including an anti-union “toolkit”–that once and for all verify that SPN and the Freedom Foundation’s ultimate goal is to wipe out labor unions altogether. That this frontal assault on a fundamental American right is being waged most aggressively against those caring for seniors and people with disabilities is especially vile; that it is taking place during a severe housing crisis when caregivers struggle to make ends meet could lead to economic catastrophe.

The documents obtained by The Guardian advise SPN members to target workers individually to opt-out of their union rights by using public record laws to find names, addresses and phone numbers. This “toolkit” is especially effective in Orange County, where the county officials have given SPN affiliates carte blanche to harass caregivers. A recent report by Capital and Main detailed how the Freedom Foundation has been allowed since January of this year to interfere in new caregiver orientations. With the blessing of Orange County, the Freedom Foundation is trying to keep new IHSS providers from communicating with their union–United Domestic Workers (UDW/AFSCME 3930). Caregivers who fall for the Freedom Foundation pitch do not learn that UDW fights to raise IHSS provider pay, improve their benefits, and protect funding for the IHSS program–three things the Freedom Foundation conveniently omits mentioning they themselves oppose.

One elected officials who is stepping up to support Orange County UDW members and the IHSS program they defend is State Senator Joshua Newman of Fullerton.

“It is unacceptable that an out of state organization funded by the Koch brothers and the State Policy Network would be making decisions for our home care providers,” said Newman. “I am calling on Supervisor [Michelle] Steel and Supervisor [Todd] Spitzer, who also received communications from the Freedom Foundation, to come clean about their involvement with this group, and to be forthcoming with the seniors and people with disabilities–and those who care for them–in our county.”

Newman said it is time for Orange County to stop giving favors to out-of-state extremists and support the working families they represent. “I stand with the hardworking men and women of Orange County’s IHSS program who do God’s work every day by taking care of our seniors and people with disabilities.”

UDW Executive Director Doug Moore agreed that Orange County’s coziness with the Freedom Foundation is endangering those who can least afford it.

“It’s outrageous that the Orange County Board of Supervisors would meet behind closed doors with the Freedom Foundation, an out-of-state organization intent on making life harder for working people,” said Moore. The Board is allowing the Freedom Foundation to take away rights from low-wage caregivers at the same time that they are refusing to pay these caregivers more than minimum wage—in one of the most expensive places to live in the country!”

Moore also warned that attacks on unions will only increase the growing income inequality in places like Orange County.

“The Freedom Foundation does the bidding of billionaires in an attempt to weaken worker power and destroy unions,” Moore said. “What happens if the folks behind the Freedom Foundation and cases like Janus succeed and unions like ours go away? The only people who benefit are the one percent.”

United Domestic Workers of America (UDW/AFSCME Local 3930) is a home care union made up of over 100,000 in-home caregivers in 21 counties across the state of California. UDW caregivers provide critical services through the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS), which allows over half a million California seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their homes with dignity and independence.

My son Alexis was born with severe Down Syndrome, and I have been his care provider for the past 12 years. When we first applied for IHSS, Alexis was only awarded 26 hours per month, even though he requires round-the-clock care.

So I contacted our union’s advocacy council and the caregivers there helped me win more hours for my son. With their help, I got proper documentation from my doctor and, after helping me with some issues we were having with our social worker, we applied for an appeal.

We not only won a total of 221 hours for my son, but I received a check for $21,000—the total amount of backpay I was owed for the period where Alexis was only receiving 26 hours per month.

Now, our family doesn’t have to worry about paying our bills. We used to be on food stamps, and now we have everything we need to survive—and Alexis continues to receive the quality care he needs from the person who knows his needs best.

We are so thankful to our union and the caregivers who helped us win more hours of care for Alexis.

This spring we have celebrated graduations up and down the state for the first class of the UDW Leadership Academy, a new program for members who are ready to take the next step and become leaders in our union.

Members selected for the eight-week training were trained in public speaking, the history of UDW and the labor movement, and how caregivers can use legislation and politics to make positive change for ourselves and our clients.

As a member-led union, we are caregivers helping caregivers. Having a program like the Leadership Academy allows us to build our strength from within and prepare to take a bigger role in helping our communities.

If you want to find out more about upcoming Leadership Academy trainings, call your local office today!

Across the country, countless workers—from food industry workers to actors and more—have been coming forward to talk about sexual assault and harassment on the job.

But because we work in private homes, many caregivers still suffer in silence. We may be inappropriately flirted with, touched without our consent, or even assaulted by our clients — and without an easy way to report it without endangering our jobs, we usually don’t say anything at all.

That’s why UDW is working on passing AB 3082, a law to protect IHSS providers from sexual harassment by requiring the state to create a system for addressing harassment claims from IHSS providers.

From Butte to Orange County, providers are packing Board of Supervisor meetings with a sea of UDW green and demanding that counties #SupportCaregivers with a pay raise that will show us respect—and help pay our bills.

UDW caregivers in Tuolumne County recently won a new contract with better wages and benefits.

“If it wasn’t for our union, we wouldn’t have gotten this,” said UDW caregiver Susan Lipscomb, who served as a member of the bargaining team. “And it opens the door for next negotiations to be positive negotiations.”

But other counties have not been willing to give providers a much-needed raise, like in Orange County where negotiations have stalled after a year and a half of being at the bargaining table.

“To have a pay raise would mean we could afford to get my son the therapy and treatment he needs and improve his quality of life overall,” said Diana Rice, an IHSS provider in Orange County.

Preparing for conventions has been keeping us all very busy this quarter! Our UDW convention will be held June 6-9 in San Diego. The national AFSCME convention will be held July 16- 20 in Boston. We are sending 98 delegates to the UDW convention and 36 delegates to AFSCME. Conventions are an important time for union members; delegates vote on issues important to our union and take essential information to their home offices to share with the whole membership. I’m serving on a number of committees in preparation for the UDW convention. The date is fast approaching; I’m so excited and full of confidence working with my delegates to the success of the convention. I would like to thank each and every one of you who participated in the delegate elections for the UDW and AFSCME conventions!

This year marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination in Memphis of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was there to support striking sanitation workers who are now members of AFSCME. In April, I joined other UDW and AFSCME members in Memphis to commemorate both the strike and MLK’s assassination. It was a moving and inspirational time.

I attended a board meeting California American Retired Alliance (CARA). I currently serve as a Vice- President of the UDW chapter of CARA. We discussed Medicare/Medi-Cal protection actions taking place in May. I will be circulating a petition on the issue.

I attended the UDW legislative reception in Sacramento. Most of the elected leaders who attended are supporting IHSS workers and it’s important that they continue to hear from UDW caregivers as they make important decisions on the future of the program.

I attended the UDW Executive Board meeting on March 12. I’m also helping out the UDW Retiree Founding Foundation which will be held on June 10. I will be circulating the retiree membership card.

I have been traveling statewide for membership meetings. The last meeting I attended was the District 1 meeting in Escondido. I shared my experience of how to get involved with UDW and encouraged our members there to join the UDW councils.

I’d like to thank all the volunteers who helped with Food for Families, the monthly food distribution event I attended on April 27! I’d also like to put out the call for more volunteers to distribute food. We needed more that day–specifically Vietnamese speakers. We distributed to 140 families. I was able to increase the funding to cover distribution to 200 families for next month. Please call our office at 1-800-621-5016 to find out more. Make sure that you get there early; it’s first come first serve. Our next distribution will be on Friday, June 22.

We will also have volunteer recognition happening at the Providers Appreciation day in November.

California’s primary election is June 5. You can find a list of UDW endorsed candidates here. We need to support the candidates that support IHSS and the issues that affect Californians like us. Don’t forget to vote! And it’s also a good time for you to contribute to PEOPLE program!

I was at the state capitol in April to support of Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)—which is a fancy way of saying the state’s plans for caring for seniors and people with disabilities. We and our allies are asking them to fund research into LTSS data so we can accurately plan for the future of long-term care. I was among the speakers at the successful hearing. I will keep you posted on the success of our LTSS data request.

Lastly, I approved a letter to send to you inviting you to join the second class of UDW’s leadership academy, a new program for members who are ready to take the next step and become leaders in our union. Members selected to the eight-week course were trained in public speaking, the history of UDW and the labor movement, and how caregivers can use legislation and politics to make positive change for ourselves and our clients.

As a member-led-union, we are caregivers helping caregivers. Having a program like the leadership academy allows us to build our strength from within and prepare to take a bigger role in helping our communities.

If you want to find out more about the upcoming leadership academy trainings, call our office at 1-800-621-5016.

I attended a graduation ceremony celebrating this wonderful achievement on the part of some of our member leaders.

I attended this dinner to support the great work of the program UDW helped start that gives real-world culinary training to community members who want to make a positive change in their lives.

I volunteered at this monthly event sponsored by UDW and the California Independent Providers Training Center (CAIPTC).

I joined other UDW and AFSCME members at this event which commemorated the 50^th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s final days in Memphis as well as the strike by sanitation workers that he had gone there to support.

I represented UDW caregivers at the San Diego swearing-in of Sen. Toni Atkins as she became the first female California State Senate Leader.

I attended this event sponsored by our allies at the California Alliance of Retired Americans (CARA) that gave seniors and people with disabilities the opportunity to meet candidates running for Congress.

I celebrated the contributions of our selfless volunteers who give so much of themselves.

I participated in this event sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation that raises funds for arthritis research, resources and a cure.

Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS) legislative hearing and advocacy day, Sacramento, April 30

I joined other UDW members and stakeholders from the long-term care community to speak to state legislators and let them know how important it is that they fund research which will help us plan for the future of long-term care.

I attended this forum to represent the interests of UDW caregivers, our clients, and families.

District 2 – Invitation to Local Board meeting 4/16; invitation for Local Board meeting 5/15; district meeting on June 29

District 3 – Invitation for district membership meeting 6/28; attended district membership meeting in Palm Springs, March 13; attended the District membership meeting in Moreno Valley, March 22

District 4 – Invitation for membership meeting, May 16; invitation for Stanislaus membership meeting, May 18; attended Madera membership meeting March 19

District 8 – Attended the local board meeting on May 2; invitation for May 17 membership meeting

A federal law has mandated that all states implement Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) for Medicaid-funded personal care services programs like IHSS starting January 1, 2019—or else lose significant funding. Providers and clients have been very worried about what EVV will be like: will it endanger our privacy? Will it create lots of extra work in our already busy days?

That’s why UDW caregivers have been active in opposing a burdensome EVV system, and have been sharing our fears and concerns about EVV to the California Department of Social Services (DSS).

Now that the state has announced their initial EVV plans, it looks like our activism has paid off. The state said that they are listening to IHSS providers and clients and are going ahead with a plan to implement EVV that is not nearly as intrusive as we feared. While not yet approved by the federal government, the planned California EVV system will be relatively simple and require very little change for providers already using electronic timesheets.

Unlike some other states, California’s EVV will be a non-specific description of hours and services using existing electronic timesheet technology. There will be no “real-time” reporting—you will report the services you provided when you normally do your timesheets. There will be no GPS or other location tracking and no detailed descriptions of where you and your client are or what services you provide.

For most providers and clients, there will be little change. However, the plan includes phasing out paper timesheets, and providing a call-in phone option for those who don’t have access to the internet.

UDW will continue to protect privacy and quality of care for IHSS providers and clients by holding DSS accountable to their promises and working at the California State Capitol to make sure that the laws on EVV stay on our side. The biggest challenge of this plan is the proposed elimination of paper timesheets, and UDW will be there to help members with this transition if and when the time comes.

Visit www.udwa.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UDW to find out the latest developments and ways you can get involved.

Although nearly all California workers already get paid time off when they are sick, this basic right has long been denied to IHSS providers. But that is set to change this summer!

Thanks to a historic minimum wage increase law that UDW caregivers helped pass in 2016, IHSS providers will now be able to earn and use paid sick leave hours.

This is an important change in our working conditions that will help us better take care of ourselves and recover faster when we are sick. And when we are healthy, we are better caregivers!

If you did not receive this issue in the mail or need to change the address we have on file, please contact us at 800-621-5016.

Providers and clients have been very worried about what EVV will be like: Will it endanger our privacy? Will it create lots of extra work in our already busy days?

And it appears our hard work is paying off. The state announced that they are listening to IHSS providers and clients and are going ahead with a plan to implement EVV that is not nearly as intrusive as we feared and will not endanger our privacy. While not yet approved by the federal government, the planned California EVV system will be relatively simple and require very little change for providers already using electronic timesheets.

In a stakeholder meeting on April 19, Debbie Thompson of DSS laid out their intended EVV approach:

Perhaps most importantly, providers will not be required to log in and out at the beginning and end of every shift. The biggest challenge will be the elimination of paper timesheets, and UDW staff will of course be available to all members who need help with this transition when the time comes.

This plan is not final and still needs to be approved by the federal government. Our union will continue to monitor the development and implementation of EVV, and hold the state accountable to its promise to protect our privacy.

Thanks to everyone who helped get our EVV concerns to state officials. We are stronger together!

As an active member and elected leader of my union, I wear a lot of hats. But first and foremost, I am a mother. And for the past two years, I have been devoted to protecting the safety of my family—and the safety of all our loved ones with disabilities.

I’ve written about my son Manuel before. He lives with autism and intellectual disabilities that make him prone to wandering and aggressive behavior. I worry every day that his fearlessness will get him into trouble, especially if he comes into contact with a police officer.

I worry that a police officer won’t see what I see when I look at my son. They won’t know how much he loves music—especially Nora Jones and Beethoven. Or about his favorite things to watch on his tablet: Dora Explorer, Blues Clues, and Disney movies.

Instead they’ll see a strong and aggressive young man, one who doesn’t respond to their commands to stop or calm down.

Many of our clients suffer from disabilities that are not widely understood. Their behaviors or actions–or lack of action–may be interpreted as being defiant or drug induced, when in fact it part of their disability or a lack of the proper medications. This is why our union has set out to find a better way to educate and train first responders, and to create better alert systems and tools to protect these vulnerable members of our communities.

That’s why we recently held a public hearing with legislators, first responders, and members of the disability community at the State Capitol, led by Assemblymember Jim Cooper.

My fellow UDW members and I joined folks from around the state who have developed effective and useful tools to give law enforcement and other first responders the information they need to protect people like my son and deescalate situations rather than use force.

Overall the hearing was a success. The lawmakers were moved by stories from parents like us. They really seemed to understand the fear we live with every day, and they pledged to work with us to find real solutions.

Our next steps are to get lawmakers to the table to draft the statewide solutions we so desparately need. At the same time, we are going to continue to explore new strategies and technologies that parents like us can use on our own to keep our loved ones safe.

Real change takes time, but I won’t stop working until we make a safer world for people like Manuel.

Timesheet violations are a hassle and they can be scary—no one wants to be suspended or fired as a provider because they wrote down the wrong number on their timesheet.

Because February was a short month, a lot of us got violations. But the good news is that having a union like UDW on your side can make a big difference when it comes to timesheet violations. UDW went to bat for IHSS providers with the state, arguing that it wasn’t fair for so many hardworking caregivers to get violations. Thanks to pressure from the union, the state agreed to drop all violation charges in February for providers who take care of just one client.

Remember, you are not in this alone! As a UDW member, you can get FREE help filling out your timesheets and handling timesheet violations. If you receive a violation in the future, or if you just need assistance filling out your timesheet, call your local office or our Member Benefits Center at 1-800-621-5016. Your fellow union members are here to help.

Most IHSS caregivers in the state make just above $11/hour, but in Orange County we make minimum wage. That means we struggle even harder to make ends meet for ourselves, in a county with one of the highest costs of living in California. Many of us worry if we’ll be able to pay all our bills, if there will be money left over to put food on the table, if we can afford that trip to the doctor’s office.

And me? Well, I often have to worry about where I’m going to lay my head at night.

Up until this past month, I spent most of my nights sleeping by the riverbed in Anaheim. But every day I was worried – would I be able to sleep there again tonight? Had the authorities come to clean up the homeless encampment there and thrown away all my belongings while I worked?

I am often asked why, if I am struggling with the low wages paid to IHSS providers in Orange County and with the low amount of hours my client is allotted each week, I don’t just find another job. Surely I could work in something like fast food and make the same hourly wage and receive more hours, people reason.

The truth is I can’t, because my client needs me. I care for a wonderful 70-year-old women who lives with severe rheumatoid arthritis. I see her every day for two hours, helping her around the house, running errands for her, and doing the things she is unable to do to make sure she can live comfortably in her own home. She is like family to me – I can’t abandon her and take a new job.

So I do what I think is right and continue to care for her. And when I am not there, I work to find ways to improve my situation.

County officials recently helped all of us living by the riverbed find temporary housing, but they need me to make more money to qualify for a permanent low-income housing solution, something I can’t do with my current IHSS pay and hours. Our union, UDW, is helping me advocate for more IHSS hours for my client, a change that not only benefits me, but also her: she needs the extra care and IHSS isn’t giving it to her.

UDW also enrolled me in culinary training through the non-profit they started, the B5 Foundation. This opportunity will help me develop a new skillset outside of caregiving and a sense of security for my future.

But what I really need, what we really need, is for the Orange County Board of Supervisors to listen to IHSS providers like me and pay us a living wage. I am not alone in my struggles as a home care provider. We all struggle and sacrifice, and do difficult and vital work, and we do it for such little pay. They need to understand that working for our clients, then wondering how we are going to eat—or where we’re going to sleep—is not okay. Our work doesn’t just save the county money, it saves lives.

AUGUST 8, 2018 UPDATE: Angela Peifer graduated from culinary training on May 11 and is employed as a pantry cook at an Anaheim Hills restaurant. Angela and her fiancé are still in temporary housing, but they are now on the list for a permanent low-income housing voucher. Angela would love to continue caring for IHSS clients but is no longer able to due in large part to Orange County’s refusal to raise IHSS pay to a livable wage. Their continued failure to raise wages for IHSS providers may mean many more qualified caregivers like Angela will be forced to leave the profession, jeopardizing care for the counties seniors and people with disabilities.

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF UPCOMING WEBINARS ON PAID SICK LEAVE.

In 2016, UDW caregivers helped secure a historic minimum wage increase for California workers. After years of telling our stories, rallying and marching with fellow underpaid workers, we urged the state legislature and the governor to agree on a plan to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. In addition to raising wages, the law also guarantees paid sick days for workers – including IHSS providers.

Under the new law, existing providers (those that began working for an IHSS recipient prior July 1, 2018) will earn eight hours, or one day, of paid sick leave after they have worked 100 hours from the implementation date (July 1, 2018). New providers (those who begin working for an IHSS recipient after July 1, 2018) will earn eight hours of paid sick leave after they have worked 100 hours from their initial hire date.

An IHSS provider can use his/her paid sick leave hours after working an additional 200 hours providing services to an IHSS recipient, or 60 calendar days from the date on which the provider earned his/her paid sick leave hours, whichever comes first. The soonest an IHSS provider will be eligible to use their accrued sick time hours is September 2018. To use your sick hours you must submit SOC 2302, located here.

We will begin to accrue sixteen hours, or two days, of paid sick leave for each year starting January 1, 2020. We will start to accrue twenty-four hours, or three days, of paid sick leave for each year on January 1, 2023. These dates are subject to change if the annual minimum wage increase is postponed by our elected leaders for fiscal reasons.

We know providers have questions about how we will use our sick days, and who will care for our clients when we do. We are working closely with the state and the counties to ensure that a good system is put in place in every county to provide clients with backup providers if we need to take any sick leave.

Paid sick leave is a basic right that nearly all Californian already enjoy. After years of demanding equal rights, we have finally been heard. Now that we’ve secured this new benefit, we’re going to work hard to make sure it works for all caregivers and our clients.

Household Size	Monthly Income
1	$2,148
2	$2,904
3	$3,660
4	$4,418
5	$5,174
6	$5,930
7	$6,688
8	$7,444

	Name	Slate	Total Votes
1	Rosa Beltran	Home Care Workers United Slate	1679
2	Editha Adams	Home Care Workers United Slate	1589
3	Rosa Ramirez	Home Care Workers United Slate	1471
4	Christine K Nguyen	Home Care Workers United Slate	1424
5	Cecilia Hernandez	Advocates for Providers	1422
6	Maria E Godinez	Home Care Workers United Slate	1411
7	Diane McCarty	Home Care Workers United Slate	1391
8	Maria Vega	Home Care Workers United Slate	1383
9	Diana Sanchez	Home Care Workers United Slate	1382
10	Angie Nguyen	Home Care Workers United Slate	1381
11	Luz Cedeno	Home Care Workers United Slate	1373
12	Douglas Moore	Home Care Workers United Slate	1370
13	William Reed	Home Care Workers United Slate	1368
14	Elva Munoz	Home Care Workers United Slate	1337
15	Juan Martinez-Castellanos	Home Care Workers United Slate	1325
16	Lisa D Scott	Home Care Workers United Slate	1324
17	Beatriz Manjarrez	Home Care Workers United Slate	1251
18	Michelle Wise	NONE	1250
19	Josefina G Ochoa	Home care Workers United Slate	1243
20	Debbie S Owens	Home Care Workers United Slate	1230
21	Kathleen J Crick	Home Care Workers United Slate	1220
22	Lientuong Nguyen	Home Care Workers United Slate	1196
23	Gloria Orduna	Home Care Workers United Slate	1188
24	Astrid J Zuniga	Home Care Workers United Slate	1174
25	Johanna Hester	Home Care Workers United Slate	1170
26	Maria I Serrano	Home Care Workers United Slate	1166
27	Camilla E Bradford	Home Care Workers United Slate	1161
28	Wymon Johnson	Home Care Workers United Slate	1158
29	Jose E Kleber	Home Care Workers United Slate	1115
30	Cassandra Sambrano	Home Care Workers United Slate	1110
31	Sarah Ilenstine	Home Care Workers United Slate	1108
32	Jesse Torres	Advocates for Providers Slate	1097
33	Maria Teran	Advocates for Providers Slate	1090
34	Nicanora Montenegro	Home Care Workers United Slate	1070
35	Florence Corie Crowson	Home Care Workers United Slate	1054
36	Leonor Pelayo	Home Care Workers United Slate	1048
37	Terry L Walker-Dampier	Home Care Workers United Slate	993
38	Darlene Nelson	Advocates for Providers	981
39	Vibiana Saavedra	Home Care Workers United Slate	978
40	John Stevenson	Advocates for Providers	969
41	Hazim Al Bustani	Home Care Workers United	935
42	Joann Thompson	Advocates for Providers	893
43	Gerald Ashby	Advocates for Providers	877
44	David L Haskins	Advocates for Providers	872
45	Gabriel Paramo	Advocates for Providers	828
46	Martha Martinez	NONE	811
47	Maria A Avila	NONE	789
48

Women in Politics and Child Care

Members of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and supporters from across the state gathered in Bakersfield to demand Speaker McCarthy leave Social Security and Medicare benefits alone.

State Payment Rates Are Not Keeping Pace with Rising Costs of Caring for Children

How Are Subsidized Child Care Providers Paid in California?

Payment Rates for Voucher-Based Child Care Providers Are Not Keeping Pace Across 58 Counties

What is Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)?

Who is impacted by the upcoming EVV changes?

What are the changes that will be implemented regarding EVV?

How and when will my location be tagged?

Will I still have to manually enter my hours worked?

What will happen if I check in/check out at the wrong time or miss it completely?

Will my recipient still need to approve my timesheet?

Can I opt out of EVV?

What should I do now?

Top wins

Top moments

And we didn’t stop there…

Recalling Governor Newsom could lead to IHSS cuts and endanger us and those we care for

Not registered to vote? Click here!

CCPU-UDW members support essential workers while struggling to stay afloat

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021

43,000 workers who care for the kids of state-subsidized poor families have gone union in the nation’s largest organizing victory in many years.

The pandemic is here to stay for a while. Make sure you are protecting yourself and your client.

Faced with a 7 percent cut to hours, we fought back—and won

Most of us are eligible for federal stimulus payments, but you may have to take action to receive it

Additionally, you can use the following resources for up-to-date information regarding the spread and prevention of Coronavirus.

Resources for home care workers

Resources for child care providers

Resources for combating discrimination, racism, and xenophobia

Supporters hope a successful campaign to represent tens of thousands of workers will improve the system for everyone involved.

USHERING IN THE NEXT DECADE OF CARE

Learn about important resources for you and your family.

Further resources

UDW member killed by police highlighted at Governor’s bill signing ceremony

Paper paychecks are going away in 2021 – make the switch today!

BY ASTRID ZUNIGA AND DOUG MOORE SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE

Coalition-backed legislation will create roadmap to long-term care benefit for middle-class Californians

At the federal level

At the state level

Holding our new leaders accountable

SHARE ARTICLE

UDW Executive Director Doug Moore responds to U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME

We are standing together to protect the IHSS program for our clients

Explosive report by The Guardian exposes anti-union “toolkit” funded by Koch brothers, Walmart Family Foundation and Freedom Foundation on eve of Janus vs. AFSCME decision

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF UPCOMING WEBINARS ON PAID SICK LEAVE.