Photos: Connie Graham

Participants from UDW counties all across California come to Pomona training

to learn about negotiations for home care provider contracts.

Learning about labor law, political context, and the current importance of care providing for our nation’s economic function are some of the background concepts taught to bargaining teams at the conference.

The New York Times, January 27 2009

"Outdated labor rules from 1975 allow home care aides to be defined as companions, which exempts their employers, usually private agencies, from federal standards governing overtime and minimum wages. As the population has aged, however, demand for home care has grown and the work has evolved far beyond companionship. It is not uncommon for home care workers to perform significant housekeeping chores and to help their elderly clients move, dress and eat, make sure they take their medicines and go to doctors’ appointments…In its last days in office in 2001, the Clinton administration proposed a revision to the labor rules to allow federal protections to apply to personal home care aides, but the Bush administration promptly threw that out and reasserted the status quo. A 2007 Supreme Court ruling upheld the rules, and a push that year by House and Senate Democrats to pass a bill to update the law went nowhere. "

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UDW Executive Director, Doug Moore, talks to home care providers about bargaining in their counties.

"UDW can teach you to develop strategies to work collaboratively with other Unions and coalitions to
secure strong contract wins in terms of compensation, language and increased ability to organize."

Willas DeMorst, Lead Negotiator for United Domestic Workers teaches strategy to home care providers for upcoming contract bargaining.

"In 2009, we will need to coordinate our efforts throughout the state

to share and develop ideas that can be used to
generate increased member activism, education and growth. This effort will strengthen our bargaining campaigns and also increase public and taxpayer education about the IHSS program, which is such a large part of the negotiation and political process."

Jovan Agee, Political Director of UDW, represents care providers in Sacramento, and came to the conference to talk with bargaining teams about the political side of their work.

"Although care provider’s wages are negotiated with local counties, the funding comes from federal, state, and county sources so all three levels of government are involved. State legislation sets the maximum rate we can negotiate for, and also mandates particulars of the program. The legislators who vote for or against laws that affect IHSS are elected by Californians so we all need to be make sure we are registered to vote and contact our representatives on a regular basis.

For the last three years governor Schwarzenegger has tried to reduce funding for IHSS, and cut back wages. Fighting against these cuts in Sacramento is a large part of what UDW must do… we can’t negotiate for funds that aren’t there; we are working to improve contracts and conditions for the IHSS community, and we all need to educate our legislators about how the program saves money for taxpayers."

All participants received a certificate of attendance after completing the three day training.

Right, IHSS consumer

from Placer county is presented with her certificate.

Consumers are invited to join bargaining teams and often make very good representatives for the program because they can speak first hand about the importance of their providers.

Special Message from Kern Chapter Chair Margarita Jaramillo

Margarita Jaramillo would like to thank all of her friends at this workshop who came together and helped her in her time of need.

"I am very grateful for all the love that
was expressed, as well as the practical help
that supported me through a difficult time."

"Thank you to all my union brothers

and sisters!"