Another Victory for UDW
and Another Victory for Home Care!

August 26 2004

Governor Schwarzenegger signed our bill,
AB 2747 (Garcia)

This bill will speed up the process for counties to get their 20% IHSS matching funds reimbursed by the state. As you know, the long delay in getting these funds returned means that counties have less money to bargain with and to improve wages and benefits. This has been a big issue for counties and has thwarted IHSS contract negotiations in all of our counties.

It will take some time before the impact of this legislation will be felt throughout the state but the fact that UDW fought for and won legislation designed to help counties has great symbolic and practical value and should be brought to the attention of the board of supervisors, legislative representatives and others.

We will make a difference for our members and counties will get the message that they are better off with UDW as an ally and partner rather than an adversary because we can get things done!

Our Sacramento team did an outstanding job on this - Bob Naylor, Pete Conaty, Willie Pelote, Robert Harris, Ann Sutherland and Ellen Martin, and last but not least, our President, Ken Seaton-Msemaji, who is the brainchild of this bill as well as the legislative and political strategy that enables UDW to build more alliances, win more support and score more victories with Democratic and Republican governors than organizations ten times our size.

Bonnie Garcia, (our representative for Riverside and Imperial counties) should be highly commended for her support on this bill. Please write her a letter, eMail, or call her and let her know how much it was appreciated:

Bonnie Garcia, Assemblywoman, 80th District
68-700 Avenida Lalo Guerro, Ste B
Cathedral City
CA 92234

Phone: (760) 321-8522
Fax: (760) 321-8410
eMail: assemblywoman.garcia@assembly.ca.gov