San Diego County Approves Measure Allowing Home Health Care Workers to Bargain Collectively
Home health care workers in San Diego County's In-Home Supportive Services program will be able to bargain collectively for higher pay and better benefits, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The county Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 12 to approve an ordinance that allows the workers to hold an election to form a union; the United Domestic Workers has been attempting to organize the county's home health care workers. The ordinance also establishes a public authority -- governed by the supervisors -- that will serve as the employer that will negotiate with the union. Supervisors also approved a $2.9 million budget for the program in 2001-02, with $490,000 coming from the county and the remainder coming from the state and federal governments. However, the budget does not include funding for pay raises or benefits for the workers (Rother, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/19).
In other home health care news, Contra Costa County's unionized home care workers have approved a new contract with the county's In-Home Support Service Public Agency, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Under the contract, the county's nearly 4,000 home care workers, who assist the elderly, people with disabilities and people who are blind in their homes, will receive a raise from $7.83 to $9. In addition, workers will receive health coverage if they work 35 or more hours each month (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/21).
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