Santa Cruz County home care workers—mostly women of color—reach tentative contract agreement with Board of Supervisors

Press Contact:
Terry Carter, 213 uies
November 13, 2024
Posted in Press Release
Tagged in , ,

If ratified, caregivers will be on a path to $20/hr by December 2024

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, recently reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year union contract with the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. 

If ratified by SEIU Local 2015 members and approved by the Board of Supervisors by December 2024, the new contract will raise standards for over 2,500 IHSS workers who provide long-term care. The contract will include:

  • A $1.25 increase to IHSS providers’ wage supplement, bringing wages to $20.00 an hour by February 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!

“As care workers, we are among the most essential yet underappreciated members of society, and this new contract goes a long way in helping to address that,” said Santa Cruz IHSS provider Emmanuel Magana. “The wage increase will mark a significant step toward a more livable income for home care providers in Santa Cruz. However, it is far from the end of our work. More progress must be made. We must continue to advocate for the kind of equitable pay that truly reflects the invaluable services we provide.”

“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.

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SEIU Local 2015 is the largest union in California, representing more than half a million long-term care workers (home care, skilled nursing facility, and assisted living center workers) throughout the state. Its members are as diverse as the state’s population but united in their commitment to caring for California’s older adults and those with disabilities.