January 29, 2018
Barbara is an IHSS provider and UDW member in San Diego County. She cares for her 36-year-old daughter who has Down Syndrome. Until recently, Barbara and her husband paid a huge amount for health coverage: $1,000/month for just Barbara alone. Barbara became an IHSS provider in 2007, and there was a waitlist for several years prior to the new contract being negotiated.
Many caregivers struggle to pay for our own health care, and that’s why UDW’s San Diego members pushed to expand our health plan and raise wages in our new contract, which went into effect on January 1. The contract gave IHSS providers who work in San Diego County a $1/hour raise and, even more beneficial to providers like Barbara, the contract effectively eliminated the county waiting list for health insurance and lowered all Kaiser premiums to just $30/month.
That means $970 back in Barbara’s pocket every month. “I’m thrilled,” she said. “It was something I didn’t expect. That’s a car payment or a vacation!”
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