The workers will now bargain for a first contract with a state agency established last year by legislation SEIU pushed through, which also mandated that the PCAs receive decent wages and benefits.
Key issues in what SEIU called the largest health care workers drive ever in New England were low wages and lack of health insurance for the workers, who care for seniors and the disabled in their homes.
"Raising the standards for PCAs in the home health industry is critical to the livelihood of thousands of low-wage workers in Massachusetts and around the country," George Gresham, President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said in a statement. "This vote should serve as a beacon of hope and progress in the struggle to attain justice and a living wage for home care workers."
The workers also got political support in their struggle, from Boston\'s mayor and from Senate Labor Committee Chairman Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).
SEIU 1199 Executive Vice President Mike Fadel added unionization will also help the disabled and elderly who depend on the PCAs. That\'s because higher wages and health insurance will help cut the 405-60% annual turnover in PCAs.
SEIU will now negotiate for the PCAs with the state\'s PCA Workforce Council, a 9-member, consumer-majority board established last year. The council has a mandate to create a PCA registry to make it easier for consumers to find PCAs to hire, create an emergency back-up system when a PCA cannot report for work, give optional training for PCAs and consumers, recruit new PCAs and, most importantly, "Reduce turnover by setting fair wages and benefits through collective bargaining if a PCA union is formed."
Consumers would still have the power to hire and fire their own PCAs, however, the law says.
"By joining with disability and senior advocates, PCAs will have the power to negotiate for fair wages and benefits. This can help stabilize the workforce for those who rely on PCAs to live independently in the community," a fact sheet on the law adds.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
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The workers will now bargain for a first contract with a state agency established last year by legislation SEIU pushed through, which also mandated that the PCAs receive decent wages and benefits.
Key issues in what SEIU called the largest health care workers drive ever in New England were low wages and lack of health insurance for the workers, who care for seniors and the disabled in their homes.
"Raising the standards for PCAs in the home health industry is critical to the livelihood of thousands of low-wage workers in Massachusetts and around the country," George Gresham, President of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, said in a statement. "This vote should serve as a beacon of hope and progress in the struggle to attain justice and a living wage for home care workers."
The workers also got political support in their struggle, from Boston\’s mayor and from Senate Labor Committee Chairman Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).
SEIU 1199 Executive Vice President Mike Fadel added unionization will also help the disabled and elderly who depend on the PCAs. That\’s because higher wages and health insurance will help cut the 405-60% annual turnover in PCAs.
SEIU will now negotiate for the PCAs with the state\’s PCA Workforce Council, a 9-member, consumer-majority board established last year. The council has a mandate to create a PCA registry to make it easier for consumers to find PCAs to hire, create an emergency back-up system when a PCA cannot report for work, give optional training for PCAs and consumers, recruit new PCAs and, most importantly, "Reduce turnover by setting fair wages and benefits through collective bargaining if a PCA union is formed."
Consumers would still have the power to hire and fire their own PCAs, however, the law says.
"By joining with disability and senior advocates, PCAs will have the power to negotiate for fair wages and benefits. This can help stabilize the workforce for those who rely on PCAs to live independently in the community," a fact sheet on the law adds.
This article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.