Purple hats and gold thunder sticks carrying the message, "Enough is Enough", filled Albany's West Capitol Park on Thursday as some 5,000 1199SEIU caregivers rallied to protest another round of healthcare budget cuts proposed by New York's Governor David Paterson.

The Governor's proposed $278 million in Medicaid cuts would cause the state to lose a total of $746 million, when federal matching funds are figured in. For every dollar cut in state Medicaid funding, New York loses $2.60 from Washington.

In the past two years, healthcare funding has already been cut six times by the legislature, with a combined loss of over $2.2 billion, resulting in the loss of several hospitals and nursing homes in distressed areas.

Ros Hampton, an LPN and longtime 1199SEIU Delegate in Buffalo, rally inspired the crowd when she asked, "Governor Paterson, is this any way to treat the most vulnerable members of our society that have paid their dues? Our elderly need to be treated like the kings and queens they are, but how can we do that with these outrageous budget cuts?"

Paulette Abrams, an 1199SEIU homecare worker with the Social Concern Homecare Agency, told the rally, "I've been a homecare worker for 19 years and I'm here to tell Governor Paterson that our patients and all of our families cannot survive any more cuts to homecare. Our clients won't be able to get the care they need and we won't be able to pay our bills."

1199SEIU caregivers came to Albany from as far away as the tip of Long Island and up to the Canadian borders of Western and Northern New York. They were joined by hospital and nursing home executives, who understand the devastating impact of these cuts.

In case you missed it...news highlights from yesterday and this morning on banks, union heroes, health insurance reform, voter turnout and fighting budget cuts [and the swine flu].

Wall Street Bonuses Rise Up, Up, Up and Away: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase, the three biggest banks to receive bailouts, are set to pay record bonuses this year. They'll hand out $29.7 billion in bonuses--an increase of 60 percent from last year.

It's Time to Write Some Thank You Notes: Let's not forget to thank the members of Congress who worked with us along the way to get the "The Affordable Health Care for America Act" passed--Celebrate the passage of the House bill by thanking (or admonishing) your Representative for their vote on health insurance reform.

What exactly did we win? Take a look at some of the highlights in the historic health insurance reform legislation, which include coverage expansion, more choices, encouraging small businesses to cover employees and ending abuse by insurers.

Send your best wishes to Fort Hood Hero: Sgt. Kimberly Munley risked her life to stop the alleged gunman who killed 13 people and injured 30 at Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov. 5. Munley fired four shots at the alleged assailant, Maj. Nidal Hasan, despite being shot herself. She's currently in stable condition. As Officer Munley recovers from her injuries, her union AFGE has set up a site where you can send her your best wishes.

"Protect our patients, NY healthcare from draconian cuts!" New York's frontline caregivers from 1199SEIU are mobilizing by the thousands to go to Albany on Thursday, November 12, to tell the Legislature and Governor that enough is enough: the state's healthcare industry has already been hit by six rounds of budget cuts, totaling $2.2 billion in the past two years. Now Gov. David Paterson is calling for another $746 million in cuts for the current fiscal year, ending next April.

A Win for Maine, Washington, and Lovers of Good Government: Read Monday's Washington Post column by E.J. Dionne about how Maine and Washington voters stood up against cuts to services like home health care for seniors by rejecting the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). "Why aren't we hearing more of this?" asks Dionne.

Latino Voter Turnout remains high in 2009: While Election 2009 had its ups and downs, initial results show the dire predictions about a drop off in Latino voter turnout proved to be false - and that candidates from all parties rejected campaigning with an anti-immigrant wedge based strategy. Key highlights compiled by America's Voice here.

Puerto Rican unemployment tops 16 percent: About one in six people are now out of work on the U.S. island territory of 4 million people, and another 2,000+ public employees lost their jobs on Friday. More on SEIU.org.

Hand-washing and sneeze-covering precautions can only take you so far: In the mad scramble for flu shots across the country (which are in short supply), the U.S. House is considering a proposal: Mandate that employers pay five sick days if they send a worker home or advise him to stay home.

Pennsylvania SEIU Members win three-year contract: The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) and the SEIU Local 668 have reached agreement on a three-year contract that calls for a wage increase retroactive to September 1, 2006. The local represents about 350 secretarial, library, accounting, clerical, housekeeping and maintenance personnel at the college.

On November 2, 2009, Attorney General Martha Coakley walked a day in the shoes of 1199SEIU home care worker Monica. Coakley worked with Monica to care for Maureen, a consumer with MS. These are some photos from parts of their morning together:

Martha Coakley received a unified endorsement for the U.S. Senate from five SEIU Local unions and 60,000 workers. At the press conference celebrating her endorsement, Coakley boldly declared that she will fight for healthcare workers. "I have a reputation for not backing down," she said of her record for standing up to big business interests and law violators.

This week, Coakley also received an endorsement from the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Learn more about SEIU's Walk A Day In My Shoes program by visiting www.walkadayinmyshoes2008.com.

More photos of the WAD after the break.

Why being in a union makes you more likely to have health insurance; H1N1 sick leave bill introduced, and news from around SEIU locals in Michigan, California and New York.

42,000 MI Home Care Workers Win Raise In Tough Budget Year: After months of activism and lobby days at the state capitol in Lansing, home care members of SEIU Healthcare Michigan won a significant victory yesterday. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed a budget yesterday that provides a $0.50 raise across the board for all workers who provide care through the Home Help program.

The Face of Furloughs: After working for the state of California for over 30 years, SEIU Local 1000 member Renee Lee is speaking out about her fight to save her home. Joining thousands of CA state employees who have suffered the brunt of the state's economic crisis, the mandated time off w/out pay have decreased her monthly salary by over $450 per month and left her home in jeopardy. Watch the full video by CBS KOVR in Sacramento.

Faith Leaders in LA Turn Up Heat on Healthcare: In an event yesterday organized by SEIU, African American faith leaders made hundreds of calls to urge Congress to get healthcare reform done. Using SEIU's "faith line," leaders from across the community spoke out about the need for affordable healthcare for some of the community's most vulnerable members. Watch full story on Fox 11:

Union Members 25 Percent More Likely to Have Health Insurance: Today, a new report by the Employee Benefit Research Group shows that unionized workers are 25 percent more likely to have employee-paid health insurance. According to the report, "in September 2007, 83 percent of union workers were covered by health benefits through their own job, compared with 58 percent of nonunion workers." Read the report here.

H1N1 Flu Emergency Sick Leave Bill Finally Here: Rep. George Miller (D-CA) and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) announced emergency temporary legislation today that will guarantee five paid sick days for a worker sent home or instructed to stay home by their employer for a contagious illness like the H1N1 flu virus. Next steps: According to Reuters, the House Ed & Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the legislation the week of November 16.

Accountability for NY State Home Care Industry: 1199SEIU UHW-E has launched a new website, HomeCareCrisis.org, as the first step in campaign to shine light on the economics of the home care industry. For example...Medicaid pays about $19 per hour for in-home care. Yet caregivers frequently receive as little as $7.50 per hour w/ no affordable healthcare benefits or paid time off.

Do you know a home care agency worthy of 1199SEIU's home care industry Hall of Shame? Nominate them here.

Turning States Purple on Election Day: Down to the wire, purple canvassers are out in force this Election Day--turning out the vote in key races in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Virginia and Texas. Stay tuned tomorrow as we report on the where and how our members helped make the difference.

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Got news? Share it with us for SEIU's Blog by emailing us at newmedia[at]seiu[dot]org.

Following a federal court order by Judge Claudia Wilken halting the implementation of severe cuts to home care for 130,000 Californians, new information presented during a Capitol hearing yesterday demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet its own Nov. 1 deadline to implement new restrictions on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program providers.

At least seven California counties have said that the Administration has provided confusing orders and failed to provide funds and materials promised to counties and at yesterday's legislative hearing, counties and stakeholders described how home care providers, and the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on home care have been thrown into a state of confusion due to the lack of preparedness. "It is troubling that with just four days until new job requirements go into effect, the State still has not given us clear information on what these changes mean for our jobs and for the people we serve," said Raul Rivera, a home care worker represented by SEIU 521 in Santa Clara County.

Who's going to be the most affected by Gov. Schwarzenegger's failure to provide adequate time to implement changes and consistent, clear guidelines: the state's approximately 450,000 elderly and disabled care recipients, as well as close to 380,000 providers statewide. What is the Schwarzenegger Administrations' reaction to CA counties' warnings of the chaos and panic likely to ensue, should these cuts go forward on Nov. 1 as planned? Tough luck! (and that's phrasing it nicely). Officials said today that they intend to go forward with the scheduled November 1st implementation date.

More about the specific concerns and obstacles preventing county governments from implementing the changes the Schwarzenegger administration ordered at the SEIU California State Council website and California Progress.

Following a federal court order by Judge Claudia Wilken halting the implementation of severe cuts to home care for 130,000 Californians, new information presented during a Capitol hearing yesterday demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet its own Nov. 1 deadline to implement new restrictions on In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program providers.

At least seven California counties have said that the Administration has provided confusing orders and failed to provide funds and materials promised to counties and at yesterday's legislative hearing, counties and stakeholders described how home care providers, and the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on home care have been thrown into a state of confusion due to the lack of preparedness. "It is troubling that with just four days until new job requirements go into effect, the State still has not given us clear information on what these changes mean for our jobs and for the people we serve," said Raul Rivera, a home care worker represented by SEIU 521 in Santa Clara County.

Who's going to be the most affected by Gov. Schwarzenegger's failure to provide adequate time to implement changes and consistent, clear guidelines: the state's approximately 450,000 elderly and disabled care recipients, as well as close to 380,000 providers statewide. What is the Schwarzenegger Administrations' reaction to CA counties' warnings of the chaos and panic likely to ensue, should these cuts go forward on Nov. 1 as planned? Tough luck! (and that's phrasing it nicely). Officials said today that they intend to go forward with the scheduled November 1st implementation date.

More about the specific concerns and obstacles preventing county governments from implementing the changes the Schwarzenegger administration ordered at the SEIU California State Council website and California Progress.

Home care providers, seniors, and people with disabilities prevailed in federal court yesterday, securing a preliminary injunction to stop cuts to essential home care for 130,000 Californians. We've been following this fight for several months now, and it's such amazing news for home care workers and those they care for that this ruling will put a stop to these devastating cuts.

Watch SEIU's Deb Roth recap the ruling from Judge Wilkins:

The planned budget cuts of $82.1 million in services were scheduled to take place November 1, and would've resulted in 40,000 people losing IHSS services entirely and an additional 90,000 having their services slashed.

Home care providers, seniors, and people with disabilities prevailed in federal court yesterday, securing a preliminary injunction to stop cuts to essential home care for 130,000 Californians. We've been following this fight for several months now, and it's such amazing news for home care workers and those they care for that this ruling will put a stop to these devastating cuts.

Watch SEIU's Deb Roth recap the ruling from Judge Wilkins:

The planned budget cuts of $82.1 million in services were scheduled to take place November 1, and would've resulted in 40,000 people losing IHSS services entirely and an additional 90,000 having their services slashed.

San Francisco home care workers called for a hand-examination of each signed card submitted by Sal Rosselli and other ousted union officials seeking to decertify SEIU-UHW, saying they had been subjected to lies, coercion, and fraud.

Some workers were told that signing a card was the only way they could keep their union, while others were threatened that they could be deported if they did not sign. In some cases, NUHW representatives said they were from a government agency, and in still others they pressured family members and even home care consumers to sign the cards, rendering them invalid if thoroughly checked.

Workers have shared more than 1,000 stories describing how NUHW improperly collected signatures and asking to have their cards returned. NUHW's tactics are part of a pattern that emerged in Fresno earlier this year when more than a third of the cards they collected from home care workers were found to be invalid when hand checked. SEIU- UHW caught examples of these tactics on video, as described by the workers. Watch a clip of one of the home care workers here:

With a future body count guaranteed to make it a horror film classic, the new California state budget approved by legislators on Friday puts an end to the endless "debate" that's been causing debilitating migraines even in those who don't suffer them.

But the pain is far from over. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his band of loyal lawmakers proved they're no 'girlie-men' with the budget cuts by taking healthcare from the sick and frail and every kind of care from the elderly; by closing schools so kids have nowhere to learn, and after-school programs so they have nowhere else to go. They closed the deficit by privatizing public services and throwing public servants under the bus, while taking money with impudence from those who remain. And if you thought these outcomes were shocking, here's the most shocking thing of all: CA lawmakers managed all of this without taxing corporations one single additional dime.

And no doubt the heads of those corporations will be spending this glorious, victorious weekend with Governor Arnold in his hot tub, smoking their cigars.

The difference
Rapid action by members of SEIU Local 1021, Local 1000 and all the California locals, together with the communities they serve, prevented the outcome of the budget deal from being much worse. "While we don't like the outcome [of this budget], had we not gotten involved it would have been much worse," said SEIU executive vice president Eliseo Medina.

Working closely in collaboration with communities and allies, scores of public events were held all over the state that put a human face on the cuts to home care, health care, CalWORKS, schools, and other public services. All together, SEIU members made 40,000 calls to the Governor and legislators, took part in 400-plus lobby days and sent 100,000 petitions and postcards. The most dramatic difference these efforts made is that new revenues are finally on the table and, against the odds, even made it into the Conference Committee budget. And more significantly, SEIU members, CA activists and allies helped scale back (and lessen in severity) the Governor's worst cuts:

• Home care: In-home Supportive Services (IHSS) will be cut by 20 percent instead of 90 percent.
  
• CalWORKS will be cut 40 percent instead of eliminated entirely.
  
• Healthy Families: The Governor wanted to eliminate the program entirely - instead, it was cut by 50 percent.
  
• Education: Despite deep cuts to education, Proposition 98 was not suspended and legislative safeguards on school outsourcing were protected.
  
• State workers: Workers' pensions and health care were protected, and a fourth furlough day has not been issued like Governor Schwarzenegger threatened.

As California confronts severe budget difficulties in coming months, the war of words, lobby days and public actions are far from over. Middle-class families will continue to challenge state leaders to provide a common sense, balanced approach--even when it requires that our leaders have the courage to stand up to powerful corporate interests. More news and reports on the CA budget can be found from Rough & Tumble and California Budget Project.

Thanks to SEIU Local 1021 for this budget update.

Creating good home care jobs will help ensure quality home care and save taxpayer dollars

Placing Missouri on a path toward improved healthcare for thousands of its seniors and people with disabilities, 13,00 home care attendants in Missouri's consumer directed home care program have voted to join the Missouri Home Care Union, a statewide union of home care attendants.

The vote passed by a landslide margin of 85% Yes to 15% No.

"I'm thrilled. This is fantastic news for Missourians who need home care and for caregivers like me," said Salem attendant Theresa Bach. "The next step is to join forces with consumers to make home care better and available to more Missourians."

Home care attendants from across the state voted in the historic election through special mail-in ballot starting on June 29. The election was conducted by the state Board of Mediation and was the largest of its kind in Missouri history.

Currently, home care attendants do not have health insurance benefits, despite being caregivers themselves. They also receive no sick days or vacation time. Many of the consumers in the state struggle to keep caregivers on the job, as 40-60% of attendants leave their positions every year for jobs with benefits or higher compensation.

"This is a new day for Missouri home care, one that will go a long way toward strengthening home care by helping attendants win the pay and benefits they deserve," said Richard Blakely, Executive Director of Disabled Citizens Alliance for Independent Living. "I am honored to be on the Missouri Quality Home Care Council and look forward to working with consumers and attendants across the state to build a stronger consumer directed home care program."

The announcement is also good for Missouri taxpayers. Home-based care is more cost-effective than institutional or nursing home care. With the number of elderly Missourians expected to rise more than 70 percent in the next twenty years, the demand for home care services will skyrocket. Investing in the creation of good home care jobs will help ensure a stable workforce of reliable home caregivers is in place to meet the demand and ensure older Missourians can remain in the setting they prefer, their homes.

"With a united voice in Jefferson City, attendants will now be able to make the kind of improvements that attract and keep caregivers - and that helps people with disabilities," said consumer Marilyn Hicks of Niangua. "Missouri needs to invest in home and community based services, and now attendants will help make that happen."

In November, Missouri voters passed Proposition B by 75 percent, which created the eleven-member, consumer-led Quality Home Care Council to make it easier for people who need home care to find and keep a caregiver they can depend on. The Council will offer voluntary trainings and establish a statewide registry and backup system for times when regular caregivers are unavailable. It will negotiate with workers over wages and benefits.

Attendants from around the state available to speak with press.

Representing more than 12,000 home care attendants, the Missouri Home Care Union is the largest healthcare union in the state. It is a joint effort by AFSCME and SEIU. Our mission is to improve and expand quality health care and to protect and improve the lives of all working families.

Last week, elected officials left Springfield without doing their job--again. So SEIU Healthcare Illinoismembers took their fight to protect home and childcare workers from budget cuts to the scene of the crime. Protesting in the statehouse, members demanded an end to budget cuts that would devastate home care, child care and countless other human service programs in Illinois. Governor Quinn agreed and vetoed the bill.

Recently, healthcare activists gathered at Rep. Kirk's campaign kickoff for his Senate bid--to fill the seat that was previously held by President Obama--to demand he support measures that will bring quality, affordable healthcare.

But it seems as though Rep. Kirk isn't trying nearly hard enough to emulate the former holder of the Senate seat he's bidding for, when it comes to stepping up the plate to tackle the biggest challenge facing our country: making sure every American has access to high quality, affordable health care. After the Monday event announcing his candidacy, Rep. Kirk told one of the activists, "We can't afford to insure everyone."

According to a report by HCAN, from 2000 to 2007, health insurance premiums for working Illinois families has risen by 73 percent. So the real question is, how can we afford not to support fixing America's broken healthcare system? SEIU members will continue pressuring their legislators to pass measures that put quality care in reach for everyone. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help.

A U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last month ordering the state of California to halt pay cuts of nearly 20 percent -- from $12.10 an hour down to $9.50 -- for the state's 400,000 home care workers. The injunction, issued by federal judge Claudia Wilken, has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers, beginning on July 1, 2009.

Sounds like a pretty cut-and-dry ruling...until you remember that you're dealing with Governor Schwarzenegger, who apparently stands above the law [unless he's the one making it]. The Governor and CA state officials are refusing to abide by Judge Wilken's preliminary injunction preventing the slashing of salaries for in-home caregivers. SEIU is fighting back by filing a motion in U.S. District Court, asking the court to hold the State in contempt for illegally cutting the wages of IHSS workers in defiance of the earlier court order.

Since Judge Wilken's ruling, numerous counties have submitted requests to reinstate IHSS worker pay--but State officials are claiming that they need 60 days to process the requests. "Instead of honoring the court's decision and keeping our pay as it is, the State is dragging its feet, making up excuses, and placing this lifeline service in jeopardy," said Mary Harms, a Contra Costa County home care worker.

The Governor vowed again last week, in a brief question and answer period from reporters, that he would not sign any budget deal that included any tax increases, saying "I made this very real clear that I will never sign a budget with tax increases or extra fees or other kind of trickery that is proposed. I will not a budget that is a partial budget - we want to address the entire $26 billion - we want to do it making the necessary cuts and also getting rid of the waste and abuse that is going on within those programs." Most people--myself included--would not qualify providing social services for people who need it, like the elderly or persons with disabilities--as a "waste" of the state's budget.

Speaker of the House Karen Bass said last week of Schwarzenegger: "I do believe he is completely overstating it and making IHSS as though it is some huge part of the budget, when it is actually 1.5 % of the state budget...the IHSS program saves money in the long run because it prevents people from being in nursing homes. What shouldn't we be wasting any of, in Speaker Bass's opinion? Time. "I just believe that we really don't have any time to waste - and what is most important that we close the deficit. The issue of reforms are critical - but we can begin the reform process the day after the budget revision is signed." Please call the Governor now and tell him: "Home care not only saves money, it saves lives. We need a common sense budget that protects home care."

A U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last month ordering the state of California to halt pay cuts of nearly 20 percent -- from $12.10 an hour down to $9.50 -- for the state's 400,000 home care workers. The injunction, issued by federal judge Claudia Wilken, has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers, beginning on July 1, 2009.

Sounds like a pretty cut-and-dry ruling...until you remember that you're dealing with Governor Schwarzenegger, who apparently stands above the law [unless he's the one making it]. The Governor and CA state officials are refusing to abide by Judge Wilken's preliminary injunction preventing the slashing of salaries for in-home caregivers. SEIU is fighting back by filing a motion in U.S. District Court, asking the court to hold the State in contempt for illegally cutting the wages of IHSS workers in defiance of the earlier court order.

Since Judge Wilken's ruling, numerous counties have submitted requests to reinstate IHSS worker pay--but State officials are claiming that they need 60 days to process the requests. "Instead of honoring the court's decision and keeping our pay as it is, the State is dragging its feet, making up excuses, and placing this lifeline service in jeopardy," said Mary Harms, a Contra Costa County home care worker.

The Governor vowed again last week, in a brief question and answer period from reporters, that he would not sign any budget deal that included any tax increases, saying "I made this very real clear that I will never sign a budget with tax increases or extra fees or other kind of trickery that is proposed. I will not a budget that is a partial budget - we want to address the entire $26 billion - we want to do it making the necessary cuts and also getting rid of the waste and abuse that is going on within those programs." Most people--myself included--would not qualify providing social services for people who need it, like the elderly or persons with disabilities--as a "waste" of the state's budget.

Speaker of the House Karen Bass said last week of Schwarzenegger: "I do believe he is completely overstating it and making IHSS as though it is some huge part of the budget, when it is actually 1.5 % of the state budget...the IHSS program saves money in the long run because it prevents people from being in nursing homes. What shouldn't we be wasting any of, in Speaker Bass's opinion? Time. "I just believe that we really don't have any time to waste - and what is most important that we close the deficit. The issue of reforms are critical - but we can begin the reform process the day after the budget revision is signed." Please call the Governor now and tell him: "Home care not only saves money, it saves lives. We need a common sense budget that protects home care."

In yesterday's "Fair Pay for Caregivers," the New York Times editorial team urged the Department of Labor to change the regulation within the Fair Labor Standards Act that classifies home care workers as "companions," making them exempt from minimum wage protections and overtime pay. Citing the hard work and critical role they play with an aging boomer population, the NY Times editorial declares that "Home care aides should not have to wait any longer for the fair pay they have been denied for so long."

It's been over two years since the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the 1974 interpretation of the FLSA law ("Long Island Care at Home v. Coke"), denying home care workers a living wage and overtime compensation. That definition of the law essentially put the teenager who occasionally watches your kids on the same level with a worker trained to provide full-time and long term care for seniors and disabled persons with essential care needs. Under a new administration, this ruling did give the Labor Department--not the court--the right to change that interpretation under a new administration. However, more than two years later, the regulation still stands.

Sadly, one of the women who played a leading role in the fight for increased wages and paid overtime for in-home care aides, Mrs. Evelyn Coke, passed away today. Ms. Coke was the plaintiff in the "Long Island Care at Home v. Coke" case challenging the "companionship exemption" for home care workers. Read more about Mrs. Coke in the New York Times article highlighting her struggle for justice and a fair wage.

Support to extend federal overtime and minimum-wage requirements to home care workers--a growing labor force that earns average hourly wages lower than that of all other jobs in healthcare--has been increased in recent months. In June, a group of 15 Senators led by Senator Harkins (D-IA) sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis advocating for the Department of Labor to expand federal wage and hour laws to the estimated 1.5 million home care workers in the U.S.

"In the three decades since the exemption was created, the numbers of home care workers and their responsibilities have expanded dramatically as the population has aged and more and more people are choosing long-term care services in their homes rather than in institution," reads the letter sent to the DOL.

Secretary Solis responded with a statement saying she shares the concerns of the Senators who are advocating for fair treatment of home care workers, telling an AP reporter that her department was looking into whether the exemption should be overturned. Since that time, no real steps have been taken towards the federal reform that is urgently needed to provide home care workers with the compensation and respect they deserve. Please ask Department of Labor Secretary Solis to include home care workers in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act

A U.S. District Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last week ordering the state of California to halt pay cuts of nearly 20 percent -- from $12.10 an hour down to $9.50 -- for the state's 400,000 home care workers. This ruling is big news for home care workers and those they care for, as it will temporarily stop the cuts that were to go into effect July 1st in those counties at risk.

There's a war being waged against home care, and Governor Schwarzenegger is leading the call. We can celebrate this initial victory, but this injunction will not stop the Governor from trying to cut home care again. CA State Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer has made this much clear, saying that the Schwarzenegger administration "can't imagine a legal interpretation that would prevent the state from moving forward to implement [the proposed cuts to home care]."

It's up to us to keep the pressure on. Now that a court has ruled against the Governor and his cuts, we need to ask him to reverse course on these short-sighted cuts.
Please call the Governor now and tell him: "Home care not only saves money, it saves lives. We need a common sense budget that protects home care:"

Home care aides in Wisconsin are celebrating a new state budget signed yesterday by Gov. Jim Doyle that includes breakthrough improvements for home care workers and their clients.

Currently, many families in Wisconsin have difficulty finding experienced home care aides on their own, as their only resources to do so are by recruiting through classified ads or community bulletin boards. The new budget sets up the Wisconsin Quality Home Care Authority (WQHCA), which will create a registry to aid seniors in finding qualified independent home care workers, provide training to caregivers, and allow workers to choose whether to unite as a union.

The improvements give approximately 5,000 home care workers in Wisconsin the freedom to unite with SEIU.

Home care aides in Wisconsin are celebrating a new state budget signed yesterday by Gov. Jim Doyle that includes breakthrough improvements for home care workers and their clients.

Currently, many families in Wisconsin have difficulty finding experienced home care aides on their own, as their only resources to do so are by recruiting through classified ads or community bulletin boards. The new budget sets up the Wisconsin Quality Home Care Authority (WQHCA), which will create a registry to aid seniors in finding qualified independent home care workers, provide training to caregivers, and allow workers to choose whether to unite as a union.

The improvements give approximately 5,000 home care workers in Wisconsin the freedom to unite with SEIU.

HUGE news for home care workers and those they care for. In response to SEIU lawsuit, a U.S. District Court judge issued an injunction Thursday afternoon ordering the state of California to halt a proposed $2 cut in wages for the state's 400,000 home care workers.

The injunction has the effect of stopping pay cuts in all California counties that were planning on passing the state cut through to their home care workers.

The injunction, issued by federal judge Claudia Wilken, was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which has 250,000 home care members in California. The lawsuit alleges the wage cut violates the federal Medicaid Law, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Rehabilitation Act.

"This ruling is bringing hope to hundreds of thousands of home care consumers and workers all across the state," said Mary Harms, a home care worker in Contra Costa County. "We had no choice but to ask the court to help us after the governor and legislature let everyone down and put so many people in danger."

The enjoined state budget cuts would have slashed homecare workers' wages to as low as $9.50 an hour. The wage cuts would have forced thousands of homecare providers to leave their employment to seek living-wage jobs, forcing frail seniors and people with disabilities to enter nursing homes or other residential institutions.

The votes were counted last week in an important union election among 10,000 home care workers in Fresno County, California. Now that the dust is settled, here is more detail about what the Fresno home care election victory signifies--and what it means going forward.