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Oral Presentation to Riverside Board of Supervisors
Public Session, August 28, 2007
By Felice Connolly, Home care provider and UDW
member
Good morning All. I am Felice Connolly from Homeland, part of the fifth
district under Supervisor Ashley. I also represent the fifth district
for the IHSS Advisory Committee. But I am not here today in that
capacity. I am here as a provider/consumer on behalf of my daughter Yvonne
who is now 27. You probably remember me as I have spoken before the
Board when we negotiated our first two contracts.
This year, I crossed a very important milestone in my life – my
husband Bill who with me had advocated strongly for my daughter lost his
battle against lung cancer in June of this year. The last two months were
a blur, from making funeral arrangements to wading through tons of paper
work to delete his name and change over to my name. With his passing, our
income was reduced to less than one half, and the IHSS program is now a
major source of our income. The program’s impact on our lives is
now much more meaningful. It allows me to keep my daughter safe at home.
On top of that, Yvonne also lost her SSI as her survivor’s benefit
went up above the SSI income cap. She now has to pay a cost of share to
qualify for the state Medicaid so she can remain qualified for the IHSS
program. This situation is just like Peter robbing Paul to pay John. The
right hand gives and the left hand takes away. I am sharing this information
with you today and also with the rest of the families who are here so that
they can become aware of what could happen when one of the parents dies
and how the IHSS program affects a family’s life.
I therefore urge the members of the BOS to please approve a wage increase
so that families like mine can have a livable income. This will also have
a domino effect for the benefit of the IHSS program. The program will have
more qualified providers to take care of the sick, elderly and physically
challenged population of our county. I wish the members of the BOS can
shadow a family for a day. Put yourselves in our shoes, and ask yourself,
if you were in my position, what would you need to keep your loved one
safely at home? I believe this experience will help greatly when you make
a decision affecting the lives of this group of individuals in our county.
Thank you very much for giving me a chance to speak before you today.
 My
Story -- letter from San Diego home care provider
 Mary
Barnes,
Home care provider and UDW member. July 2007
My name
is Mary Barnes and I am the sole caretaker for my mother who is in
her last stages of Alzheimer’s disease. I have been caring for
my mom independently for at least 8 years; this has been an awesome
responsibility. While caring for her, I have had to take on a second
job, because of the minimum wages that In Home Support Workers receive.
I also attend part-time school holding a 3.0 grade point average.
I represent and speak in behalf of all home care providers. I want
the world to know how mentally draining and taxing this can be on
one person without the help of other family members. Our hours are
long, and our wages are low. It’s an inconvenience to have
our checks mailed, and I have already experience a stolen check.
It’s important
that everyone including political officials, know that we save the
tax payers lots of money by not having our loved one in Long-term
facilities, or nursing homes.
Alzheimer’s disease
is the most common form of dementia. These brain disorders make it
harder to carry out daily tasks. Alzheimer’s involves the parts of the
brain that control thought, memory, and language, and this disease
affects the brain in different ways. I have witnessed these affects
with my mom and tried hard to understand and support her through this traumatic
experience. If someone out there really cares, please support the
home care workers that care for their family members, by changing the laws
and improving wages and providing a respite working system. This change
should be immediate, and it shouldn't take years for our legislative system
to take action.
Waiting Patiently for your Response
Mary Barnes
Oral Presentation to Riverside Board of Supervisors
 Kimberly Schroff, Home care provider
and UDW member.
May
1, 2007
Good Morning Chairman and members of the board
My name is Kimberly Schroff and I reside in Riverside; Bob Buster’s
district.
I am here today to address our needs as homecare providers, and to be
a voice for those who were unable to speak today. We need increased wages,
better health benefits, vacation and sick leave with pay.
Homecare providers are a group of your constituents in each of your districts
that knows our state has provided funds for us to care for our disabled
loved ones who can’t take care of themselves, and the disabled elderly
who have no family to look after their health, safety and quality
of life.
We respectfully request that you will decide to do the very best on our
behalf because you are our voices and what you decide will represent what
you consider to be the best quality of life for another person.
We have
made the hard decision that has affected our livelihood because
of the sudden catastrophic disabilities some of us are facing now and for
those who were born from birth with permanent disabilities.
For myself, one day out of the blue, my entire life changed dramatically,
I have a son who has a violent uncontrolled seizure disorder who
can have anywhere from 1-20 seizures in a day, an hour or over
100 in a week- all unpredictable, especially with the best doctors and
medications available today, and surgery
As you are sensitive to our needs, you are the persons who will be instrumental
in being known as the BOS that cares and listens to their constituents
needs and removes unnecessary barriers by making sure our clients, family
members, and elderly disabled that their health, safety and quality of
life remain protected.
If you woke up and found yourself or one of your family members with
a serious unexpected lifetime disability, you too would have to make the
same hard choices and sacrifices we have had to make. You would be here
standing where I am standing talking to your BOS on their behalf. I believe
at this point you would be able to see and understand why we are here today.
It is more cost effective for us to care for our loved ones and more
emotionally stable for them and for us than to place them outside of the
home in a facility. We need you to do the right thing, considering you
too could one day be in the same position as we are.
Most of our loved ones and elderly require more than 8 hours a day care
than what is allocated for them and we care providers care enough to give
them round the clock attention with exceptional care, why you may be thinking;
would we, care enough to give them round the clock attention with exceptional
care. It is because we have a strong work ethic, a strong commitment to
our families and a labor of love, which goes far beyond the call of duty.
Our family members, and the elderly deserve the respect and dignity of
what we providers do.
In closing, my question is this; how will you contribute to changing
these important issues to maintain their quality of life without risking
their health and safety. As you sleep and wake up each day, you don’t
have the same concerns for their quality of life as we do, your needs are
met, so please consider this request because this could be you or a loved
one. I believe in doing what is right because it is right, so I pray and
thank you that you will do the same.
Thank You,
Kimberly Schroff
Letter to UDW Website,
Mary Burch, April 15, 2007
Newly Minted law adds up to a raise for the governors
aides
Well, here we go again,the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
In regards to the article on the governors aides getting raises.
I think the thousands of IHSS workers are in the wrong field. I mean
come on now, taking care of the poor and disabled for a measly $8-50
and hour? What must we be thinking? "McLear said raises are needed "to
retain the best and brightest in these key positions" Oh I see, it doesn't
take much of a brain to commit a lifetime of service to others who
can't take care of themselves so we don't deserve to be paid a living
wage. We do the kinds of jobs that most people would find repulsive.
We do a nurses job for a day labors pay. Most of us are old and in
not that good of health ourselves, but we do it anyway and we do it
out of love. Governor, I hope you are not thinking of discontinuing
this great service as you once did when you took office. Because if
you do look out, because we will be coming by the busloads, wheel chairs
and all. Our voices will be heard loud and clear.
Mary Burch, Turlock CA
Oral Statement
to the Board of Supervisors
Riverside County Public Session,
Felice Connolly,
August 23, 2005
This statement was read to the Board of Supervisors; from Felice Connolly,
whom many of you know as a dedicated leader for Riverside County hone care
workers. Felice wrote this statement and has asked that it be read to you.
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Dear Members of the Board:
Good morning and thank you for allowing another co-home care
worker to read this statement on behalf of UDWA/AFSCME to the
Board today. I am Felice Connolly from Homeland. I very much
want to be here today, but I have a dental appointment for
my daughter, Yvonne, at Loma Linda Dental Clinic. This type
of appointment has to be set ahead of time and is almost an
all day affair. With my daughter's seizure disorder, she has
to be under general anesthesia for any dental work performed
on her.
Let me thank the Board for their support of the home care
workers of Riverside County.
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Felice Connolly
Riverside County Home Care Worker
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As a member of the Bargaining
Committee that negotiated this contract with Riverside County,
I feel that we have obtained a good contract. This raise begins
to recognize home care workers as a respectable job; one where
workers have a livable wage and are not forced to neglect their
clients or loved ones in order to survive. I am proud of Riverside
County and our Supervisors, who have made the stand that values
the contribution of these workers to the community.
Riverside home care workers also appreciate your support and recognition
of our values. Last week, we ratified this new contract by about 93%.
The home care workers have spoken and now it is time to work together
to improve things even more.
But I am very troubled by the activities of the other Union, SEIU.
They are still trying to thwart the decision of the Riverside
home care workers. Why doesn't SEIU respect our wishes? This union keeps
sending out glossy flyers to home care workers baiting us with false
promises. How much money does SEIU spend on these flyers? Is that how
they would spend our union dues? By the way, instead of thrashing them,
I recycle those glossy flyers. I cross shred them and add to my compost,
providing the carbon and nitrogen balance, less waste for our landfill.
At least, it helps fertilize my fruit trees, vegetables, and my flowers.
For the information of the other home care workers, I experienced first
hand the deceptive tactics used by SEIU. In June, I signed up to do
phone banking for UDWA and to help facilitate meetings. I actually worked
for just one day and simply forgot about it because of the events that
followed. To my surprise, I received a pay check for a day's work, which
I thought was on behalf of UDWA. I returned the check to SEIU because
I neither intended to be a member of SEIU nor do I wish to work for
them. I was misled when I was asked to do some phone banking and help
in facilitating meetings to keep the members abreast of the union activities
on behalf of the home care workers. Thousands of home care workers probably
experienced the same kind of deception from SEIU.
SEIU, my membership and my vote is not for sale. I follow my own conviction,
and I feel that working with UDWA/AFSCME is the means to go forward.
Yes, I do believe that there is strength in unity, so let us unite and
work with UDWA/AFSCME to move forwards. As I stated before, my loyalty
and concern lies with the home care workers. We will not be pawns in
this power struggle. Let us work with the Union that would represent
us fairly and in good faith.
Thank you for allowing me to present my views and sentiment on the
issue.
Felice Connolly, Homeland
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Letter of appreciation from home care worker in Stanislaus:
April 9, 2005
Thank you for representing me in the Union of Domestic Workers of America.
Sincerely,
Paris Creal
PS The pay raises are greatly appreciated, it makes my work feel more valued.
Letter From Riverside Home Care Worker
Jayme Cole, Spring 2005
Dear Editor,
I want to praise my Union, United Domestic Workers of America.
I am a caregiver to my uncle, who suffers from Dementia. I am in the process of trying to get my uncle's service hours increased from In Home Support Services. As his caregiver, I put in ten to twelve hours a day, seven days a week, which can get stressful, demanding, and exhausting, day after day after day. IHSS is only giving my uncle 17 hours a month, to pay for care giving services.
When I contacted United Domestic Workers of America regarding this situation, they sent a representative out to my home that very same day. They gently reminded me it was OK to ask for help. They told me I had good reason to feel frustrated. They were there to help.
We are now going before a State Board Hearing in the next week or so, with the hope of having my uncle's service hours increased at this time. Which was something I was putting off for months out of fear.
They gave me the confidence that I needed, in order to fight for my rights as a caregiver. Whatever the outcome might be, I couldn't have taken it this far without the help of the Union. I already feel victory for standing up for myself and for the quality care that my uncle receives. We won't be discredited by underpaid, overworked social workers any more.
Thank you goes to United Domestic Workers of America. A better life through a powerful Union.
Jayme Cole, Pass Area
Riverside County
Letter From Perris Worker About the Budget Cuts
Oscar H. Diaz, January 30 2005
Re: Please do not allow the State budget cuts and the elimination of 80,000 home care workers. Do not allow the hourly rate of home care workers to be reduced to minimum wage.
The Problem:
The 2005-2006 California State budget proposed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cuts 80,000 home care workers from in home support services, and cuts the hourly pay of remaining home care workers to minimum wage. The majority of families that are paid as home care workers are just making ends meet and live at the poverty level. The cost is an average of $9000 a year for a home care worker and to bring in an outside source to provide care the cost is an average of $43,000.
How these budget cuts could impact my family:
I am a parent of a special needs/disabled child. My wife is a special needs and disabled person. I am paid as a home care worker to care of my child and my wife.
My son Andrew is 8 years old. He is disabled since birth. Andrew has cerebral palsy. He suffers from neurological problems and a seizure disorder. He is fed through a G-tube. Andrew needs a lot of care and attention with his daily needs.
My 42 year old wife Lori is disabled from birth. She suffers from a seizure disorder. She has had many brain surgeries throughout her life. She has had four brain surgeries in the last five years. The last surgery was August 13, 2004 at Loma Linda University hospital. Because of her disabilities my wife is not able to care for our son, and needs my assistance throughout the day to care for her own needs.
These budget cuts could be devastating and would cause great difficulties for my family. We live at poverty level. We struggle just to live and survive. Please help us.
The Solution:
We beg you please do not allow the state budget cuts and the elimination of 80,000 home care workers. Please do not allow the hourly rate of home care workers to be reduced to minimum wage.
My family and I plead for your help. Please help us.
Sincerely,
Oscar H. Diaz
Home Care Worker Tells Her Story to the Legislators
Nan Van Hoose, January 23, 2005
IHSS (In Home Supportive Services) and its employees provide a valuable service to the community. They care for the sick, shop, clean and run errands for their clients. I am one of the employees who provide these services. These services should not be subject to the whims of the budget makers in Sacramento.
I had one client who was 93 years old when I went to work for her. She was schizophrenic and even with medications her family couldn't take care of her. She needed the attention that I and another caregiver could provide. She deteriorated and couldn't communicate the last few years of her life. She died at age 100 a few years ago. I felt like I had lost a family member.
Nan Van Hoose |
