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UDW - The Homecare Providers Union
Local 3930; AFSCME, AFL-CIO

Supporting Homecare for Californians – the compassionate and cost effective alternative to institutionalized care

Background; Who we are, and why we are unique among unions…

 United Domestic Workers Homecare Providers Union is a labor union founded in 1979 to represent in-home care providers. These are the dedicated people who cook, clean, and provide domestic chores and personal care to the elderly, blind and disabled; those who are too sick, frail, or disadvantaged to care for themselves. California provides these services to income-eligible individuals through a program called In Home Supportive Services (IHSS). IHSS is designed to be a cost effective, more personal, alternative to the segregation and isolation of the elderly and persons with disabilities in nursing homes or institutions. Many of these institutions are known to provide inadequate or even negligent care. The IHSS program, in contrast, allows those who need help to survive in their own homes the freedom to choose, hire, train, and direct their personal attendants. The IHSS program provides compassionate care in a structure where the taxpayer does not pay for housing, food and other costs associated with institutions so that tax dollars go directly to the support of the person in need, rather than massive infrastructure and administration.

UDW IN 2010 – A Bigger, Bolder UDW -

Community in Action!

Homecare RallyWe believe care providers are the heart of our community – we know how important your job is.  Now it is time for the rest of the nation to know it! This year, our governor has chosen to launch another all-out attack on homecare, despite the fact that Californians themselves have confirmed over and over again in every poll ever taken that they want homecare to be funded.

Californians want an alternative to institutions for themselves and their loved ones.We are bringing this message to Washington DC, to Sacramento, to your local County Board of Supervisors, and to your community leaders. Together with your brothers and sisters in the labor movement, we are taking your message to all of our elected leaders.

Homecare is an essential part of the new healthcare system
so badly needed in this country.


TAKING IT TO THE STREETS…

March & Rally ends in Sacramento

Photo by Steve Yeater

Members of UDW, other California labor unions, and a host of civil rights, religious and community organizations conducted one of the largest mobilizations in our state’s history this spring.

Beginning in early March in Bakersfield, the “march for California’s future” wound through the Central Valley all the way to Sacramento, where a massive rally was held in late April at the State Capitol.  The march was designed to focus public attention on the need to reform our state’s broken budget process and to ensure that education, health care, fire and police protection and other vital public services are adequately funded.

Since UDW has one of the largest memberships in the Central Valley of any union in the state, we were a key organization in the march. UDW members and others participated in activities including media and public outreach, organizing, and voter registration in the communities through which the march traveled.

March by the Numbers…

  • 79 total busloads and 15,000 California Dreamers join six core marchers in Sacramento
  • 50 total TV stories (Fox, Univision, NBC, ABC, CBS); 30-plus news articles; dozens of radio
  • 21,447 total Fight4CAFuture.com page views
  • 8,440 total Facebook visits; 1,635 total Facebook Fans; 1,185 total Facebook Wall Posts & Comments
  • 2,087 total Dream Cards submitted to Sacramento
  • 654 total Data Collection Cards
  • 124 total organizations recruited to March for California’s Future coalition

Watch Video

 

Read About UDW History & Milestones

UDW delegates and activists at AFSCME convention 2008.

United Domestic Workers of America; delegates, staff, family, clients & supporters at the AFSCME 2008 Convention.



UDW ENDORSES JERRY BROWN FOR GOVERNOR