Governor tries home health care job

Tacoma News Tribune, 1 July 08

by Niki Sulllivan

As Gov. Chris Gregoire helped unclog the toilet, a bay of photographers watching, someone made the joke: Looks like the campaign for governor is getting dirty.

Gregoire was in Tacoma on Monday to job shadow Rosa Vadillo, a 56-year-old home health worker. The visit, a campaign stop, was part of the Service Employee International Union’s “Walk A Day” program, which aims to give politicians a taste of the workaday world.

But the event also highlighted the SEIU’s campaign for Initiative 1029, which would guarantee more training for in-home health workers. The union represents independent providers and employees of companies that get paid about $10 an hour by the state under the Medicaid program. The SEIU is a big supporter of Gregoire’s re-election bid against Republican Dino Rossi.

Vadillo, who works for two home health agencies and regularly logs more than 50 hours a week, said more training is crucial.

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