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.”