• The President's Report
• The Secretary-Treasurer's Report
• 10,000 Members Say “NO” to IHSS Program Cuts
• Dues Increase to Take Effect in January 2009

• Disabled Vets Rally for IHSS on Veterans Day
• Obama Victory Highlights Election for UDW
• San Diego County Provider Appreciation Day
• Delegates Selected for 2009 Constitutional Convention

THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT

You may have heard the old expression: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Well, 2008 was surely a tough year. The nation's economic crisis put enormous pressure on all of us—providers, clients, taxpayers, and the state and county governments that support our program.

Throughout the year at the Capitol, we had to fight proposals by Gov. Schwarzenegger and others that would effectively erase all the gains we've made for home care providers by -- among other things -- cutting us back to minimum wage and throwing thousands of elderly, blind and disabled Californians out of the IHSS program.

And fight you did! You rallied at the Capitol, testified before legislative committees, and wrote thousands of letters and emails to your legislators asking them to leave home care services and home care providers alone. Thanks to you, we were able to make the case that IHSS is one of the most valuable, cost-effective programs in our state.

One example of our success can be found in a November newspaper column by conservative Sacramento Bee columnist Daniel Weintraub. Weintraub is no fan of government programs or unions. But here's what he said about home care:

“I don't know what the best mix of cuts and taxes might be, if there is such a thing. All the choices seem bad. But after spending parts of two days last week with more than a dozen disabled people who depend on state aid to live on their own, outside of nursing homes, I know this: They are the last ones whose services and support should be cut.” Read entire article

At the county level, we were involved in difficult bargaining campaigns in San Diego and El Dorado Counties in 2008. But even though we've been unable to get the respective Boards of Supervisors to provide reasonable wage and benefit increases for our members, we were able to show the citizens of those counties that failing to support home care is penny wise and pound foolish.

I wish I could tell you that our job is going to be easier in 2009. Unfortunately, I can't. The New Year brings even more challenges for UDW.

The budget crisis in Sacramento will continue, and so will the pressure from the governor and others to cut IHSS. Our contract negotiations in San Diego County (where we are at an impasse) and El Dorado Counties likely will remain contentious. Furthermore, we will begin contract negotiations in six more counties this year.

In order to build UDW's strength for the struggles we face this year, your Executive Board has approved a dues increase, effective January 1. Hopefully, you received my letter in December announcing this. Details on the increase can be found below.

Raising dues is never pleasant, especially in these difficult economic times. But I believe that the best way to defend our wages and benefits, our program, and our clients is to make our union even stronger and more effective in 2009 and beyond.

As we begin a new year, I want to express my gratitude to you for all you've done—and continue to do—to make UDW a better union. Best wishes to you for a happy 2009.

In Solidarity,
Laura M. Reyes, President
President's Bio

Report from the Secretary-Treasurer to the UDW Membership

Read Secretary Treasurer's Bio

We are pleased to provide the latest UDW operating statements. These reports are for the period ending September 30, 2008 .

We continue to make progress in keeping our union financially sound. Furthermore, we are building the reserves we will need to fight proposed cuts in IHSS and to save the scheduled 2009 wage increases in Orange, Placer, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Stanislaus Counties.

As your new Secretary-Treasurer, I will work with your Executive Board and UDW management to insure that we have sufficient revenues to help us stay strong as we fight for equitable wages, benefits and respect for all of you throughout the state.

Lien Tuong Rose Nguyen , Secretary-Treasurer
Gary Voice, Chief Accountant

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

INCOME

Dues

7,394,058.88

Grant Income

30,281.94

Other Revenue

12,994.26

TOTAL INCOME

7,437,335.08

EXPENSE

Payments to Affiliates

147,805.05

Grants/Allocations/Contributions

181,997.51

Personnel Expenses

2,788,732.22

Professional Fees

241,416.08

Office Expenses

1,333,425.00

Travel

632,228.34

UDWA Conf, Convention, Meetings

160,196.88

Interest Expense

23,366.64

Depreciation/Depletion

102,885.78

Other Expenses

268,884.26

TOTAL EXPENSE

5,880,937.76

When Gov. Schwarzenegger proposed in November to cut the IHSS program—the same cuts we had defeated in September--we asked you to send a message to legislators urging them to vote NO!

Wow, did you deliver! Just before Thanksgiving, UDW President Laura Reyes, Executive Director Doug Moore, Chapter Chairs Marianne Nelson (El Dorado) and William Reed (Placer), and IHSS providers and clients walked the halls of the State Capitol to drop off some 10,000 letters from home care providers telling legislators to oppose the governor's plan for IHSS.

“We wanted the legislators to see our faces when they received our letters,” President Reyes said. “We wanted them to know the budget should not be balanced on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens and the hardworking men and women who care for them.”

Your letters have had a real impact, but our work isn't done. We must keep the pressure on. We need to keep reminding our legislators that it costs less than $10,000 a year to keep a person at home through IHSS, but it will cost at least $55,000 a year if that person is forced out of home care and into a nursing home or other institution. We need to make them understand that cutting IHSS is not just morally wrong; it is penny wise and pound foolish.

So, whether you write, call, email or FAX, please stay in touch with your legislators during this critical time.

Help with writing to your repesentatives

In order to build UDW's strength for the challenges we will face in 2009 and beyond (see PRESIDENT'S REPORT for examples), your Executive Board has approved a dues increase, effective January 1, 2009. The increase will range from $.75 to $1.50 a month, depending upon your hours of work:

More about your dues

Scores of disabled veterans, UDW members and other home care providers “celebrated” Veterans Day at a rally at the State Capitol protesting proposed cuts in the IHSS program. Sponsored by the Home Care Coalition, the rally was covered by print and broadcast media from throughout the state.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D- Los Angeles ) attended the rally and spoke to the crowd. She later told reporters: “ I think it s very unfortunate that veterans have to have a protest on a day that they should be honored and celebrated for their service and instead they have to protest so that they can essentially function.”

Also among the speakers were UDW President Laura Reyes and UDW member and veteran Ed Huddleston of Merced .

.Read more about UDW's role in Sacramento

Election Day turned out to be a “mixed bag” for UDW members across the state.

Our biggest victory, of course, was the election of Barack Obama as President. This change in national leadership means that America can move forward and that our government will once again support the real working people who are the backbone of this country.

In a hotly contested race not officially decided until December, Democrat Charlie Brown, the UDW-backed candidate for Congressional District 4, which includes Butte , El Dorado and Placer Counties, was defeated by Republican Tom McClintock 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent.

At the state level, UDW welcomes the election of two pro labor Assembly members: Marty Block in AD 78 (San Diego County) and Manuel Perez in AD 80 (Riverside and Imperial Counties).

With six UDW contracts expiring in 2009 and two (San Diego and El Dorado Counties) currently being negotiated, races for County Supervisor took on added importance. Of the five UDW-endorsed candidates, four: John Knight and Ray Nutting (El Dorado), Hub Walsh (Merced), and Doreen Farr (Santa Barbara), were elected.

Our thanks to the UDW members who walked precincts, worked the telephones, and registered voters during the campaign. You really made a difference.

More detail on election outcomes

To celebrate National Home Care Month (November), UDW's San Diego County Chapter hosted its first Provider Appreciation Day to honor the more than 22,000 home care providers in San Diego County . The day-long celebration included information booths, food, fun, awards and giveaways.

Among the speakers was State Senator Denise Ducheny (left), who presented UDW Executive Director Doug Moore and President Laura Reyes with a Senate Resolution recognizing UDW and home care providers. Also speaking were four successful UDW-backed election candidates:

• 78th State Assembly Member Marty Block
• 3rd District San Diego City Council Member Todd Gloria
• Chula Vista City Council Members Steve Castaneda and Pam Bensoussan

See more about this event, and photos

Delegates Selected for 2009 Constitutional Convention

The following members have been elected as delegates to the 2009 UDWA Constitutional Convention, March 26-31, in Costa Mesa :

BUTTE ADDUS COUNTY CHAPTER : Russell Jones (Chairperson), Connie Graham,
Kathryn Jull

EL DORADO COUNTY CHAPTER : Marianne Nelson (Chairperson), Amy Day, Antoinette Day, Lorrie Duncan

KERN COUNTY CHAPTER : Margarita Jaramillo (Chairperson), Alex Lopez, Cecilia Lozano, Maria Martinez, David Pincoski, Teresa Swick

MERCED COUNTY CHAPTER : Rudy Lopez (Chairperson), Maria Carranza, Edward Huddleston, Jr, Luisa Ortega, Sylvia Sainz

ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER : Christine Nguyen, Lien Tuong Rose Nguyen, Thuan Trieu, Elizabeth Arenales, Teresa Cuin

PLACER COUNTY CHAPTER : William N Reed (Chairperson), Pamela Jones, Brian Lampman, Doris Shisler, Salli Stayner, Terry Stockdale

RIVERSIDE ADDUS CHAPTER : Rosalina Flores (Chairperson). Rosa Ramirez, Margaret Weatherspoon

RIVERSIDE IP COUNTY CHAPTER : Rosalina Flores, Martha Martinez, Blanca Quintero, Barbarita Velasquez, Kimberly Schroff, Monique Nixon

SAN DIEGO COUNTY CHAPTER : Editha Adams, Sandra Castillo, Gerald “Brooks” Ashby, Nicanora Monenegro , Virginia Wilson, Laura Reyes

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CHAPTER : No nominations

SANTA BARBARA ADDUS CHAPTER : Elva Munoz (Chairperson), Clara McDonald

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY IP CHAPTER : Valentina Chicas (Chairperson)

STANISLAUS CHAPTER : Roxanne Chakos (Chairperson), Mary Armstrong, George Babana, Melviarenn Baker, Scott Chance Carrico, Pamela Cooper, Terry Foster, Sabrina Kola, Steve Salais