The Fair Pay for Home Care Act, which would raise the minimum wage for home care workers by 150%, now has enough backers to pass the New York Assembly and the Senate. But Gov. Kathy Hochul hasn’t lent her support.
Advocates for working families say the child-care crisis is undermining the stability of many households in Ohio. At this week s meeting of the Ohio Children s Legislative Caucus this week, Chelsea Kiene, director of communications and stakeholder engagement for the group Groundwork Ohio, shared polling that confirmed that child-care challenges have disrupted the jobs of one in three working parents, affecting their workplace attendance and performance. Among those with kids age 5 and younger, Kiene said one in four parents had to cut back on work hours to care for them. .
Healthcare workers at an Oregon hospital have achieved what they say is a "win" after several strikes in recent months. Nearly 300 workers and members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 49 at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in Springfield are celebrating increases in their pay, their health subsidies and education fund. Aaron Gordon, a certified nursing assistant at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and a member of SEIU Local 49, was among those who went on strike in October and again in December. .
Advocates for New Yorkers with disabilities are calling on state lawmakers to take action on policies that would raise earnings for home-care workers. The Fair Pay for Home Care Act would increase the pay for workers in home- and community-based care services to at least 150% of the minimum wage. Heidi Siegfried - health policy director with Center for Independence of the Disabled New York - said low pay in this field has contributed to high worker turnover, which could leave people without the care they need. .