1999-2008: UDW caregivers win our collective bargaining rights and transform our union to one for caregivers by caregivers. We also win direct deposit for our IHSS paychecks!

2009: UDW stops Governor Schwarzeneggar’s attempt to decrease the state’s contribution to our wages and benefits and put unfair limits on who can receive car

2010: Together we stop Governor Schwarzeneggar from eliminating IHSS entirely.

2011: 

• We also win legislation that both ends timesheet fingerprint requirements, and requires counties to give us our background check results and appeals information.
• We successfully urge lawmakers to protect IHSS by finding new funding when Governor Brown tries to end certain vital services and cut recipient hours by 12%

2012:  UDW and home care advocates file lawsuits to stop Governor Brown’s proposed 20% cut to IHSS.

2013: 

• We settle three lawsuits – putting an end to massive IHSS cuts proposed by both governors in 2009 and 2012. The settlement includes a one-year 8% cut, and an ongoing 7% cut.
• The U.S. Department of Labor updates the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to extend overtime pay to home care workers after decades of exclusion.

2014: We block Governor Brown’s attempt to limit provides to 40 hours per week and avoid paying us overtime. 

2015: 

• UDW caregivers successfully end the 7% cut to our client’s hours for one year.
• After months of intense pressure by UDW caregivers, the state announces that overtime, travel time, and medical wait time pay will begin February 2016.
• UDW wins legislation requiring training for law enforcement on how to better interact with people with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders – keeping people with disabilities safer in our communities.

2016:

• Once again, we stop the 7% cut – this time through 2019
• UDW caregivers fight alongside other low-wage workers for a law that increases California’s minimum wage to $15 by 2022, and gives providers paid sick leave for the first time ever.
• We take action to fix the broken IHSS payroll system. We win a state-level audit of the problems causing paycheck and timesheet delays, and pressure the state to implement optional electronic timesheets starting in 2017