A milestone in SEIU 2015’s statewide efforts to strengthen California’s care infrastructure, the Union calls on other California counties to join San Bernardino County in raising standards.
San Bernardino County, CA—Earlier this week, the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) caregivers of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union representing nearly 450,000 caregivers across California, reached a tentative agreement on a new Union contract with the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. This contract puts essential caregivers in the region on a path to a $20 per hour wage.
The full provisions of the contract amount to a nearly 10% wage increase. The agreement has a $1 wage supplement, which will raise wages from $16 per hour to $17 per hour upon its implementation, with a 60-cent increase raising the wage to $17.60 per hour in January 2024. It also provides for $10,000 in new funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), bringing PPE funding to $25,000 in total, as well as $50,000 in new funding for essential training.
“I’ve been a part of four bargaining teams and this is the most satisfying feeling I’ve had in all the times I’ve bargained with the County. This is the best contract negotiations we’ve had because I think we’ve ensured the Board of Supervisors as a whole understands the needs of home care providers, our recipients, and our families,” said SEIU Local 2015 Regional Vice President and bargaining team member Enrique Camacho. “This wouldn’t be possible without our union and our members. I’m so proud of the work our union has done on behalf of home care. Our success has been years in the making. We did it!”
Today’s announcement also drew praise from SEIU Local 2015 leadership and marked a significant step forward in the Union’s statewide push for living wages.
“This is a huge victory for our statewide efforts to increase wages for IHSS care providers in California. This win was propelled by Union members at the bargaining table throughout San Bernardino County working to raise standards in the industry,” said SEIU Local 2015 President Arnulfo De La Cruz. “We’re grateful to the San Bernardino 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 live and 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.”
“My son and I have been residents of San Bernardino for the past 29 years and it’s been challenging to live with the wages and healthcare providers have received here,” said Petra Payan, an IHSS provider. “I’m so proud of my Union family for winning this contract. Let’s continue to share our stories and voices until we get $20!”
Since January 2020, SEIU Local 2015 has worked with counties and nursing homes across California to win more than 85 contracts, securing better workplace protections, improved wages and benefits, and a voice in the care its members provide.
Over the last three years, SEIU Local 2015 members across California have put their fight to improve the long-term care industry into high gear.
To learn more about SEIU Local 2015 visit www.SEIU2015.org or on social media @SEIU2015.