No one would think of running a NASA space launch without listening to the astronauts and technicians who know how to make a flight plan. But when it comes to the child care system that literally shapes the future for the next generation, California has spent decades shutting out the voices of child care providers. That is finally about to change after 16 years of organizing by dedicated child care providers like my mom, and now me. We’ve created our union, met with elected officials, and have earned our seat at the table with the State of California thanks to […]
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We are hard at work to make sure that the issues that matter to caregivers and our families are covered in the media. This page will be updated frequently to include links, videos, and news articles that highlight caregivers and our clients and cover the issues that impact homecare in California.
About 30 members of the United Domestic Workers union, all wearing bright-green T-shirts, showed up to politely urge the county supervisors to show more flexibility at the bargaining table. The union represents about 3,000 in-home caregivers throughout Santa Barbara County who are currently paid $12.10 an hour. “That’s just 10 cents above minimum wage,” noted union spokesperson Yesenia Decasaus. Continue reading at Independent >>>
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There’s an overwhelming demand for child care in California but not enough people who provide it. The industry is notorious for offering low pay and long hours. Several bills pending in the Legislature seek to address these problems, including one that would let in-home providers unionize. It’s a measure that longtime in-home provider Pat Alexander is passionate about. Alexander runs Alexander Preschool and Child Care out of her home in Elk Grove (Sacramento County). On a recent morning, a group of 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds work on getting their wiggles out before breakfast. The kids alternate between dancing around and falling to […]
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BY ASTRID ZUNIGA AND DOUG MOORE SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE In the coverage of police use of force, we talk a lot about race — and we should. Black and brown communities bear a greater burden than whites when it comes to violence at the hands of law enforcement. But there’s another group heavily impacted by police use of force that’s less talked about: people with disabilities. The danger faced by people with disabilities in a police encounter is laid out in a 2016 study by the Ruderman Family Foundation, which found that one third to one half of those […]
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