SEIU Healthcare 775NW Convenes First Montana Home Care Employers Meeting

Thursday, April 8

On Wednesday, April 7, our union brought together two out of our three Montana home care employers to discuss the state of home care in Big Sky Country, explore ways in which our union and home care employers can work together on behalf of workers and develop strategies for this fall’s elections and next year’s legislative session in Helena.

Representatives from Addus Healthcare and Home Care Services joined 775NW and pledged to 1) Defend the gains made in health care funding and wages in previous sessions, and 2) Work together to prevent the agency provider rate from getting cut. Next year is expected to be a tough budget year for Montana. Agreeing on priorities several months before the legislative session will help maintain the state’s home care standards.

Other topics included establishing Labor-Management Committees and employer support for the Walk a Day in my Shoes program. The Walk a Day in My Shoes Program allows candidates and elected officials to spend a day working as a caregiver. Employer support for the program is essential to ensuring a good experience for the worker, client and candidate/elected official.

This was a good first start to what is expected to be a quarterly series of meetings between our union and home care employers in Montana. (Representatives of AAA Residential, the other union home care employer in Montana, could not attend the meeting due to a scheduling conflict.)

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