As we enter Black History Month, we are reminded of the Black women who organized 74,000 Los Angeles home care workers in 1999 to form what is now the statewide union of SEIU 2015.
Their courage and resilience together with that of our other founding mothers laid the foundation for a union that now operates in eight core languages, is composed of 50% immigrant membership, and is unapologetic in fighting for social and economic justice. We’re energized by our history of building solidarity across race, gender, immigration status, ability, and zip code. And we know that our unity will always be stronger than those who try to divide us.
Supporting survivors of the L.A. wildfires
We want to acknowledge the many 2015 members who have been affected by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles. My thoughts are with all of you who have been impacted by this disaster. To all the caregivers involved in the evacuation efforts, thank you for your service. You are so often called to act as first responders during a crisis.
This union sticks together in hard times like these, and we have a DISASTER RELIEF FUND to help wildfire survivors begin to rebuild their lives. If you qualify for assistance from the fund, you may be eligible for housing assistance and other forms of financial help. Click here to apply for wildfire relief. Also, please click here to learn of other disaster relief available to union members affected by the fires.
Stronger together: building our union power
It’s more important than ever for us to lean on one another. That’s why we’re excited to share the news that SEIU, our union of 2 million members, has re-joined the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country. Together, we’re 15 million union members strong. We share the belief that all workers (regardless of industry, race, gender, and citizenship status) have the right to thrive.
This means we are mobilizing together against attacks against immigrant workers and families who are a valued part of the long-term care industry in California and beyond. We know that many of you are worried about changing immigration policies, but you are not alone. Our union is committed to ensuring that every member and their family feels safe, supported, and empowered.
Wins for long-term care in California
- We recently added almost three hundred new union siblings to our ranks through organizing campaigns at Woodcrest Post Acute in Riverside, Oakwood Gardens in Fresno, and Hill Crest Post Acute in Petaluma.
- Click here to read more about Addus HomeCare workers in Modesto and Walnut Creek who ratified a new union contract, increasing their wages by more than 16%.
- Sunnyside Nursing Home workers have successfully negotiated their new contract which includes a wage increase of 3.5% and above.
- Click here to read more about caregivers in Santa Cruz and click here to read about caregivers in Ventura County who have secured a new contract resulting in better wages and putting them on a trajectory to reach $20 an hour!
We’ve also made some great progress in counties that are bargaining for a new contract:
- Click here to read updates for IHSS workers in Fresno
- Click here to read updates for IHSS workers in Yolo
- Click here to read updates for IHSS workers in Shasta
- Click here to read updates for Siskiyou IHSS where workers are escalating their campaign for their first-ever union contract
Meanwhile, IHSS workers in Los Angeles, Alameda and Santa Clara counties are preparing to bargain their next union contracts.
Important announcement: COPE is now CAF
We have an important announcement to make about our member-driven voluntary political fund that supports so much of this work. As you may remember, this fund has been called COPE in the past, but now we are changing the name. From now on, it is called the Caregiver Action Fund, or CAF. From now on, any contributions you make will show up as CAF on your paycheck stub instead of COPE.
And Happy Lunar New Year! Let’s embrace the year of the snake with joy. We’re wishing everyone good fortune and happiness in the year ahead.