SEIU, AFSCME Score Big Organizing Victories Among Home Health Care Workers

http://www.laborradio.org/node/13467

Submitted by Doug Cunningham on May 6, 2010 - 3:34pm
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By Doug Cunningham

It’s been a good week for SEIU and AFSCME in home health care organizing. In Missouri 12,000 workers joined the Missouri Home Care Union, affiliated with both AFSCME and SEIU. AFSCME President Gerald McEntee said it was a great day for both home care workers and the people they serve. McEntee pledged to use the combined voices of the workers and their patients to fight what he says are unnecessary cuts that threaten quality home health care services. SEIU Executive Vice-President Mary Kay Henry said it’s a big step forward for home health care workers and the people they care for. In Wisconsin 5,500 home health care workers voted Thursday to join SEIU. The union says they now will be able to stand up united to fight for improvements in the state’s home health care program. SEIU says very low wages, no health care coverage or sick days and lack of adequate training are among the problems Wisconsin home health care workers face. These newly unionized home health care workers join home care attendants in ten other states – including California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Washington who have organized into unions.