Events held across CA in support of Harris campaign and other endorsed candidates
Sacramento, CA — Yesterday, SEIU Local 2015—the nation’s largest long-term care union and California’s largest labor union representing nearly 490,000 nursing home workers and home care providers—launched a statewide Get Out The Vote campaign to elect care champions up and down the ballot ahead of the 2024 November election, including events in Sacramento and Stockton. The union is proud to endorse Kamala Harris for President; the full list of endorsed candidates can be found on SEIU Local 2015’s Ballot Recommendations Voter Guide.
SEIU 2015 held events nine across California—in Eureka, Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Stockton, Redding, and Ukiah—to mobilize voters to support candidates who will invest in strengthening the care economy, improving care jobs—from long term care to child care—and supporting care workers’ access to labor unions.
“SEIU 2015 members are a collective powerhouse of nearly half a million long-term care workers—and they are mobilizing for pro-care, pro-union candidates,” said SEIU 2015 President Arnulfo De La Cruz. “We must elect leaders who understand that caregivers are the backbone of our communities. SEIU 2015 is committed to democracy, empowering our members, and encouraging our communities to vote for a brighter future.”
The Sacramento and Stockton events brought together over 150 participants, including In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers, nursing home workers, and community allies alongside endorsed local candidates, including Porsche Middleton, Caity Maple, and Liliana Udang.
These gatherings were not just about planning and strategizing for the election; they were also a demonstration of the power and unity of SEIU 2015 members.
The Biden/Harris administration was the first to acknowledge that the care economy serves as critical national infrastructure and in need of significant investment. Now the Harris/Walz ticket has centered care in their economic agenda, including child care benefits and a child tax credit. While serving as a U.S. Senator, Vice President Harris introduced the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act to ensure that caregivers are no longer excluded from the basic job protections in our federal labor laws; and she worked a day alongside a home care provider in 2016. Long-term care workers also endorse candidates who align with SEIU 2015’s Justice Agenda.
SEIU 2015 members provide care for older adults and people with disabilities, ensuring that they receive the support they need to lead safe and fulfilling lives. Care providers are primarily women, women of color, and immigrants. Nationally, in-home care workers are 87% women, 62% people of color, and 31% are immigrants. In California, in-home care workers are 80% women, 74% people of color, and 47% immigrants. The expectation that women—especially women of color—work tirelessly for low wages and minimum protections is a result of structural racism.
The November election will have a direct impact on the future of care, labor, and democracy. SEIU 2015 is ready to elect care champions who will work with us to ensure that long-term care jobs are stable, dependable jobs with fair wages, adequate training, and comprehensive benefits.
Home care is the nation’s fastest-growing job sector. From 2020 to 2030, the U.S. will need to fill an estimated 4.7 million home care jobs, including over one million new jobs. California is projected to have 1.1 million job openings for personal care aides between 2018 and 2028. As the aging population grows at an accelerating rate, more and more will require care—we need to retain and grow this sector’s workforce. It’s essential that we elect candidates committed to investing in the care infrastructure that our communities rely on.
To learn more about SEIU Local 2015 visit www.SEIU2015.org or on social media @SEIU2015.