Santa Cruz caregivers are now on a path to $20/hr!
Santa Cruz County, CA—In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union representing more than half a million workers across California, ratified a new union contract after bargaining with the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.
Upon the contract going into effect, the agreement will raise standards for over 2,500 IHSS workers who provide long-term care. The contract includes:
- A $1.25 increase to IHSS providers’ wage supplement, bringing wages to $20.00 an hour projected to be in March of 2025 and lifting wages; this brings the total wage supplement over California minimum wage to $4.00
- $20,000 to purchase protective gloves, surgical masks, hand sanitizer and other protective equipment a year.
- Maintenance of the $0.85 cents contribution for healthcare
- And more!
Across the country roughly 10,000 people turn 65 every day. As this number of older adults and people with disabilities who require in-home care continues to grow in California, these higher standards will help counties continue to attract more care providers to this workforce (and retain them).
“The Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors show they care about us and the work we do in the community, and this new contract will go a long way for many workers like me in this county,” said Santa Cruz IHSS provider Emmanuel Magana.
“This victory marks a significant achievement in our statewide campaign to raise wages for IHSS care providers in California. Thanks to the dedication of Union members at the bargaining table and across Santa Cruz County, we are raising industry standards.” said SEIU Local 2015 President Arnulfo De La Cruz. “We’re grateful to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors for hearing our call and taking action. This win is a crucial step forward in ensuring that our great IHSS members can afford to live in the cities in which they work in the face of rising costs, and we’re looking forward to seeing other counties across the state follow suit and finally invest in the essential workers taking care of older adults and those with disabilities.”To learn more about SEIU Local 2015 visit www.SEIU2015.org or on social media @SEIU2015.