Fresno caregivers are making a real change to keep their healthcare

Fresno County, CA—Today, Fresno In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) home care providers—members of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union, and California’s largest labor union representing more than half a million nursing home workers and home care providers—gathered at the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to continue advocating for livable wages and healthcare benefits in their current contract. Fresno care providers have been negotiating for a new contract for several years now and many have shared their healthcare stories to make real change.

Over the last nine years, the cost of living in Fresno County went up by 38.4%, while the county’s supervisors raised the wages of their home care providers during that same nine-year period by a total of only 4.6%. The county’s current IHSS wage is only $17.10 an hour, leaving many  workers struggling to make ends meet, staying on the job from taking other competitive paying jobs, and increasing  the shortage crisis of care providers across the county. 

A recent SEIU 2015 survey shows:

• Working multiple jobs: 80.7% of IHSS providers in Fresno County reported working multiple jobs – at least some of the time – just to make ends meet. That’s nearly 4 out of every 5 providers in the county. 
• Food insecurity: 42.3% of IHSS providers in Fresno County experience consistent food insecurity, relying on CalFresh and/or food banks at least monthly. 
• Transportation insecurity: 84.8% of IHSS providers in Fresno County who have cars miss regular maintenance on their car because it is too expensive.
• Housing disparity: 53.5% of IHSS providers in Fresno County have difficulty paying their mortgage or rent each month, with many reporting that they are sometimes or always late with their payments.
• Healthcare disparity: 55.7% of IHSS providers in Fresno County are sometimes or often unable to access medication because they cannot afford the cost of prescriptions.

“IHSS home care providers must be paid and treated as the essential workers that they are. These workers are the backbone of our community, yet they’re struggling to survive. The Fresno County Board of Supervisors must recognize the critical work of in-home care providers by paying livable wages and preserving access to healthcare for these providers,” said Arnulfo De La Cruz, President of SEIU Local 2015.

“We don’t just want this new contract; we need it. Prices are going up everywhere in Fresno. Caregivers need a contract that helps us to address the cost of living issues so many of us keep having. Better wages would go a long way to earn enough to make a real living. We also need to keep our healthcare insurance in this new contract. Really, we just need this new contract to reflect the hard work we put in every day,” said Olga Valle, a Fresno County IHSS provider and SEIU 2015 member. Read Olga’s full story here. 

SEIU Local 2015 is committed to advocating for policies that support in-home care providers and those they care for, including livable wages and benefits, as well as access to training and professional development opportunities. We urge the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to work with us to address these pressing issues and ensure that all who qualify have access to the care they need and deserve in the comfort of their own homes.

To learn more about SEIU Local 2015 visit www.SEIU2015.org or on social media @SEIU2015.