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KWA Rally for Respect is a Huge Success

Monday, February 8, 2010

KWA Executive Director Peter Ansara is the only union employer who has tried to take away worker pay and benefits. He wants KWA home care workers to pay their own L&I (workers compensation), and he’s locking workers out of training by trying to keep half of the state-paid training funds.

KWA Rally for Respect - Click here for more pictures (Click on the picture above to see more pictures from the Rally for Respect.)

More than 90 Korean Women's Association (KWA) home care workers, 775NW members and community allies rallied in support of a fair contract for KWA workers.

KWA bargaining team member Debbie Moore of Yelm spoke about the challenges of making ends meet on her current rate of pay.

She said she can't imagine what will happen if she has to pay 30 cents per hour for L&I (Workers' Compensation).

We also heard from Tacoma City Councilmember Ryan Mello and from Alice Woldt of the Washington Association of Churches.


Respect for Workers Equals Respect for Clients


Sign our Petition in Support of KWA Home Care Workers

Watch what happened when KWA held "mandatory" anti-union meetings on February 1st.

Tuesdays: 2010 Legislative Conference Calls - Led By a Member, For Members

Join us every Tuesday for the rest of the 2010 legislative session for SEIU Healthcare 775NW Legislative Conference Calls.

The calls will be led by Catherine Byrd, a member and this session’s Grassroots Legislative Organizer. She’ll help us understand what’s happening in Olympia, and what we can do to help stop the cuts and increase revenue.

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Update from Olympia #5

Monday, February 8, 2010Washington State Legislature 

Welcome to the 5th week of session. We just passed the first cutoff – meaning that bills have to have been voted out of the first policy committee in order to continue through the process. Of course, there are a quite a few more steps before a bill becomes a law. Bills now continue to the Ways & Means committee and then to the floor, and then a bill has to pass through the same process in the other house and be signed by the Governor in order to become law.


IN THIS ISSUE
Jackie Johnson Testifies on Nursing Home Funding * Revenue Bills Introduced * Career Pathway Bills Make it Out of Policy Committees * Caregivers Draw Attention to Impact of Cuts * Grassroots Legislative Organizer Blog

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Grassroots Legislative Organizer's Blog #5

February 7, 2010

Boy I can’t believe it’s already Friday. I’ve been very busy this week. I volunteered to go house visiting to home care workers with the Korean Women’s Association last Sunday to encourage them to attend the “Rally for Respect” tomorrow in Tacoma. We are demanding respect from the Executive Director of KWA. He is not giving home care workers the respect they deserve. I have not been house visiting for a while and I really enjoyed it – updating and talking to members about what’s going on in our union...

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Purple Signs at Purple Presence

Friday, Februrary 5, 2010

On Thursday’s purple presence, we talked with 29 legislators and drew attention to the cuts in a creative way by posting and walking around with signs saying:
  • 1,600,000 Home Care Hours Lost for People with Seniors and People with Disabilities Since July 1, 2009
  • 227,045 Home Care Hours Lost Every Month Since July 1, 2009
  • $16,000,000 Wages Lost for Low-Income Home Care Workers Because of Hours Cuts Since July 1, 2009
  • 11,000 Home Care Workers At Risk of Losing Health Care in 2010
  • 73,263 Workers and Clients Already Affected by Cuts to Home Care
  • 1,500 Home Care FTE Jobs Lost From 2009 Budget Cuts
You could hear our “quality care” chants all throughout the capitol!

Click below to see the pictures from our most recent Purple Presence!!



Save Long-Term Care Petition

Tuesday, February 2

Please sign our online petition to Save Long-Term Care.

Every day, more and more people are showing support for raising revenue so that we can avoid devastating cuts to health care, education, other basic services, and of course, long-term care.

Show your support for long-term care by signing our petition today!

Save Long-Term Care Day a HUGE Success

Wednesday, January 27, 2010Save Long-Term Care - Stop the Cuts

Hundreds of Caregivers came to Olympia on Monday, January 25, for Save Long-Term Care Day.

We marched on the Capitol, met with dozens of senators and representatives and asked lawmakers to close tax loopholes and look for other sources of revenue to balance the state budget. in order to avoid devastating cuts to long-term care.

Because of budget cuts in 2009, the state eliminated 227,045 hours of care each month for vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities who receive home care services. Long-term care can’t take more cuts!

Click here to watch the video.

Click here to see pictures from Save Long-Term Care Day.

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Internship Opportunity

Join our Internship Program
Meet other Caregivers
Save Long-Term Care

We are now accepting applications for paid internships (February 17 to April 14).

Are you interested? Fill out the online application today.

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Help Haiti
Leaders in Action - Great Caregivers Make Great Leaders
Join Leaders in Action. Find the role that's right for you. It's a great way to contribute your skills and talents to our union.
Click here for more information.