May 3, 2021
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.
Our 2021 Budget Proposals:
“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.
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.
UDW members and leaders joined our parent union, AFSCME, for a stop in San Diego… Read More
Families of four with incomes of up to $96,300 are eligible for subsidized… Read More