“This is incredible,” said Spika, a home care worker from St. Paul. “Home care workers deserve the same right as other workers to form a union and now, because of this bill, we will soon have that right to choose for ourselves if we want a union.”

The House voted 68 – 66 to approve a bill which extends collective bargaining rights to self-directed home care workers in public programs. The workers and those they care for have been a constant presence throughout session, talking with legislators, holding rallies and testifying at hearings in their support of the bill. Since the House put the bill on the calendar for Saturday, workers have been camped outside the chambers to show their support. If the Governor signs the bill into law, the approximately 12,000 workers would be allowed to start the process of holding an election to vote on a union.

“This bill is about ensuring the basic rights of undervalued workers to choose for themselves if they want to collectively bargain for better wages,” said Rep. Michael Nelson, the chief author of the House version of the bill. “These workers, who are predominately women, now have an opportunity to bargain for improvements in their lives and the lives of the children, seniors and people with disabilities they serve. No longer will our state be able to dismiss the immense value of their work.”

“As we’ve said all along, this bill is simply about giving us the right to choose for ourselves,” said Darleen Henry, a 23-year-old home care worker from Rosemount who cares for her mom. “By forming a union, we can negotiate with the state for better wages, paid time off, even training. Mine and my mother’s future, as well as everyone else’s, could only get better.”

The vote came after more than 10 hours of debate stretching over three days, with Republicans threatening to filibuster with more than 100 amendments. The Senate passed the bill early Wednesday morning after a record-setting 17 hours of debate. Workers across the state have been vocal about their desire to form a union.

“I work hard as a PCA (personal care attendant),” said Vicki Dewald, a home care worker from Detroit Lakes. “My work helps the state save countless dollars that would be spent on a long-term care institution if I wasn’t there to work with my grandson and keep him living independently. By forming a union we can improve conditions for workers, which will keep good PCAs and improve the quality of care clients receive. We should have a say in the programs that benefit us all.”

“Workers need the chance to come together to work for better wages, access to benefits and access to training,” said Jim Lovold, a disability advocate who receives PCA services. “When I do find people to work for me they almost always leave to go do something where they make more money. I support this bill because it will give advocates who use self-directed services and the people who work for us a voice in fixing the system.”

Other states have passed similar legislation allowing self-directed PCAs to organize – those states have seen a reduction in worker turnover and a stabilization of the workforce. Workers and participants there have also seen an increased access to services, better wages and benefits, the creation of registry and referral services, greater access to training and a voice on the job.

A study from the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), the nation’s leading authority on the direct care workforce, released a report in January which showed a looming workforce crisis and a care gap of thousands of workers in Minnesota. A union will allow Minnesota to retain and attract enough workers to care for the aging population in their homes and avoid a massive strain on long-term care facilities.

“This is a celebration today,” said Spika. “It’s been a long road in our fight to get the same rights as other workers. We are so thankful to the legislators who voted on this historic bill to support working families, who voted to let us choose for ourselves. This is a win for all of us and we look forward to winning our union vote.”

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The House will be voting on this proposal later this week and many Representatives are still on the fence. Contact your Representative now so they know that you support the right of care workers to vote on organizing a union.

St. Paul, MN – After 11 committees and a record-setting 17-hour debate on the Senate floor, home care workers are celebrating a win after the Senate voted 35 – 32 to pass a bill that would extend collective bargaining rights to workers in self-directed public home care programs.

“I am so excited to see the Senate pass such an important bill to my family and me,” said Darleen Henry, a 23-year-old home care worker from Rosemount who cares for her mom. “Republicans stalled all night, but I’m happy the Senate ultimately granted me the same rights enjoyed by other workers to simply choose whether or not we want to join together in a union.”

Ziggy Norberg and his mom, Karen Urman, joined Henry in celebration. Norgerg was born with Spina Bifida. At 19, he now attends community college and is a leader in his community, something he says is possible because of his mom, who works for him as his PCA (personal care attendant).

“I am so fortunate to have my mom, because there are fewer and fewer people entering this field due to low wages and a lack of benefits,” said Norberg. “My mom shouldn’t have to struggle to get by because she is a home care worker. It would be nice if along with the hard, round-the-clock work of being a home care worker, my mom could enjoy the benefits and fair wages of a real career.”

Urman assists Norberg with daily tasks that allow him to live independently, rather than in a group home or other institution. The mother-son duo have been a constant presence in the Capitol since February, when lawmakers introduced a bill that would grant collective bargaining rights to self-directed home care workers in public programs. Unlike workers employed by agencies, these workers employed directly by their clients do not currently have the right to join a union under state law, even though the state provides the funding and sets reimbursement rates that determine the workers’ wages. If passed, the bill would allow the workers to call for an election to decide if they would like to join together to collectively bargain with the state for better wages, benefits and standards.

“This bill will strengthen the self-direction model that is so vital to these programs,” said Norberg. “It will also make sure that we can attract the best people to the profession. Home care workers like my Mom should have the same rights as others to join a union and a have a voice in their career. Their work saves the state and taxpayers millions each year – without these workers, the state would have to foot the bill for thousands of people entering nursing homes and institutions.”

Urman, Norberg and Henry were among the sea of purple that awaited the Senate vote which began Tuesday afternoon. By morning, purple still dotted the seats of the gallery.

If passed, the bill would allow Minnesota to follow in footsteps of several other states which have passed similar legislation. Those states have seen a reduction in worker turnover and a stabilization of the workforce. Workers and participants there have also seen an increased access to services, better wages and benefits, the creation of registry and referral services, greater access to training and a voice on the job.

“We just want the same rights as other workers,” said Urman. “Nurses and teachers have the right to form a union. The work we do isn’t more important, but it certainly isn’t less important. We should have the same right to choose for ourselves if we want to join together in a union.”

The bill would extend organizing rights to roughly 12,000 self-directed home care workers in Minnesota.

“When the day finally comes that I might need to find someone else, I want to rest assured that I will be able to find someone who takes the job seriously like my mom does,” said Norberg.

The House is expected to take up the Senate version of the bill later this week. The Governor is expected to sign the bill as well.
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SEIU Healthcare Minnesota unites more than 15,000 healthcare and long-term care workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care throughout the state of Minnesota. SEIU represents more than 30,000 members across Minnesota and is a powerful voice working to improve the lives of all Minnesotans.

St. Paul, MN – After months of walking the halls, talking with legislators and attending hearings at the State Capitol, home care worker Darleen Henry is overjoyed that a bill that would give her the right to vote on whether she wants to form a union is finally headed to the floor for final votes in both the House and the Senate.
“This bill is a huge deal for my family and me,” said Darleen Henry, who lives in Rosemount. “I want the opportunity to join together in a union with other home care workers so we can make doing this work sustainable. Workers – including me – face low wages and absolutely no benefits, despite working round-the-clock caring for the elderly and people living with disabilities. I don’t want to be forced to leave this career simply because I can’t make ends meet. If that happened, my mom would be forced to move into a nursing home, and that would break her heart and mine.”

Though only 23 years old, Henry has been working as the personal care attendant for her mother ever since her mother suffered a series of small strokes. She has been working with other home care workers who are seeking to change state law so they can have a statewide vote on whether the approximately 12,000 workers would like to join together in a union. The workers have been hard to miss throughout the legislative session, visiting the Capitol each week, attending the many hearings and holding multiple rallies in the Capitol rotunda.

Tonight the Senate Finance committee voted 12 – 10 to send the bill to the full Senate for a final vote on the floor. Last week, members of the House Ways and Means committee approved the bill’s companion, sending it to the full House as well.

The bill would extend collective bargaining rights to self-directed home care workers in public programs. Unlike workers employed by agencies, these workers employed directly by their clients do not currently have the right to join together in a union under state law, even though the state provides the funding and sets reimbursement rates that determine the workers’ wages. If passed, the bill would allow the workers to call for an election to decide if they would like to join together to collectively bargain with the state for better wages, benefits and standards.

“We’re so close to passing this bill, just a couple more votes,” said Pat Winick, who receives services through the Consumer Directed Community Supports waiver program after suffering a traumatic brain injury. “Everyone who does this valuable work deserves to be respected and well compensated. While I set the wages for my workers I am limited by what the State gives me to work with in my budget. Right now workers have no voice in how these budgets are set or what is a fair wage for the services they provide.”

“I have relied on direct support workers for over 12 years,” said Nikki Villavicencio-Tollison, who receives services through the Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Choice program. “I need people who understand that I am a confident, independent woman who uses support services and not someone who is sick or broken who needs care. I use the PCA Choice program because it allows me to choose, train, direct and terminate my own workers. In this program I am the employer. The only thing I don’t control in the PCA choice program is how much my workers are paid. The reimbursement rate is set by the State.

“I support this bill because it will give workers the right to form a union to bargain with the State for better wages and access to benefits. It is difficult to find quality, reliable people who are willing and able to work for low wages and no benefits. When I do find someone who is really good and reliable they always end up leaving to make a living wage. When people do stay and work for me full-time they often have to rely on public assistance to be able to feed their families or get health care for their own children,” continued Villavicencio-Tollison.

In other states where home care workers have joined together in a union, there has been a stabilization of the workforce and an ability to better attract and retain workers. Workers and participants there have also seen an increased access to services, better wages and benefits, the creation of registry and referral services, greater access to training and a voice on the job.

“This bill will give these workers the right to vote to form a union so they can finally have a powerful collective voice.  I look forward to partnering with these organized workers in advocating for more access to and stable funding for self-directed services,” said Winick.

“A more stable workforce will save the state money,” said Darleen Henry. “Home care workers allow people to remain living independently in their homes, rather than be forced to choose a more expensive nursing home or institution. I take great pride in knowing my work helps people retire with dignity.

“Home care workers deserve the same rights as other workers,” continued Henry. “Nurses and teachers have the right to form a union. The work we do isn’t more important, but it certainly isn’t less important. Allowing us the right to join together in a union will improve the lives of workers and the people we care for, while making smart decisions for a better future. I look forward to seeing this through to the final votes in the House and Senate. Mine and my mom’s future depends on it.”

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SEIU Healthcare Minnesota unites more than 15,000 healthcare and long term care workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care throughout the state of Minnesota. SEIU represents more than 30,000 members across Minnesota and is a powerful voice working to improve the lives of all Minnesotans.

As leaders in our state’s labor movement, we believe in a fair Minnesota, a Minnesota that values love, commitment and responsibility. Every day, hard working Minnesotans strive to build a state that is inclusive and prosperous for all, with no exceptions.
And, the truth is, that Minnesota already exists. It exists in the working families across our state who endeavor to do well by their neighbors and provide for each other. It exists in the hearts and minds of Iron Rangers and in the homes of those who live and work in the plains of southern Minnesota. It exists in the small-business owners and workers in Moorhead and Winona, the neighborhoods of Woodbury and Brainerd and the bustling streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Each and every day, Minnesotans prove that this place exists. Consider the father, already late for work, who stops to help shovel his neighbor out after a heavy snowstorm. Think about the star high-school quarterback who speaks up when one of his classmates is being bullied or of the child who donates her last quarter to charity during the holiday season.
There is something truly special about this great state we all call home. We look out for each other and live out the idea of the Golden Rule in our daily lives. We don’t turn our backs on family, or tell some of our brothers and sisters that they aren’t good enough or as worthy as anyone else.
Unfortunately, our government doesn’t always reflect the values we all so deeply cherish. And our core Minnesota values of fairness, freedom and family aren’t always represented in the bills our legislators discuss at the State Capitol.
This year, however, we have the chance to right a wrong that has been state law for too long. Simply because of who they are, same-sex couples and their families are currently excluded from marriage. As leaders of some of Minnesota’s largest labor organizations, we’re proud to join union members across the state who are standing in solidarity with our LGBT brothers and sisters who ask for nothing more than to be treated the same as anyone else.
These families live and work right here in Minnesota. They are union members, small business owners, and residents of towns small and large. They are our sisters and brothers, our children and family members, and our friends. They raise children, work hard, contribute to our communities, and pay their taxes — and they deserve to be treated fairly and have the same freedoms as any other Minnesotan.
Now is the time. This is the year. As a state, we’ve spent years talking about why marriage matters so much. We’ve shared our own personal stories, and asked our neighbors and friends to share theirs. We’ve cried, we’ve laughed, and we’ve learned. And we’ve affirmed what we already knew to be true: Marriage is about the love, commitment and responsibility that two people share.
Marriage is a unique bond between two people to which nothing else compares. And this year, we have the chance to strengthen thousands of families by extending the freedom to marry to same-sex couples.
As union members, we’re proud to stand with the majority of Minnesotans who are calling on our lawmakers to do the right thing this year by making sure that same-sex couples can finally wed in the state they call home. Extending the freedom to marry to same-sex couples is the fair thing to do. It’s the Minnesotan thing to do and, most importantly, it’s the right thing to do.
For the future of our state and all of the families who live and work here, we urge the members of the Minnesota Legislature to vote yes on S.F. 925 and H.F. 1054 when it comes before them for a vote in the coming weeks.
Marriage is a unique bond between two people to which nothing else compares. And this year, we have the chance to strengthen thousands of families by extending the freedom to marry to same-sex couples.

By Shar Knutson, Jamie Gulley and Eliot Seide

Shar Knutson is president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, Jamie Gulley is president of SEIU Minnesota State Council and Eliot Seide is executive director of AFSCME Council 5.

Posted:   05/07/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

http://www.twincities.com/opinion/ci_23193484/knutson-gulley-seide-marriage-extend-freedom-same-sex

“While I firmly stand with air traffic controllers and those FAA employees who make our travel safe and efficient and with Minnesotans who depend on them for business and travel, I also stand with teachers, soldiers, seniors and children who are also being negatively impacted by sequestration. I could not in good conscience support one fix that only addresses some of the problem and ignores the needs of so many other Minnesotans. We need a balanced, long-term plan to fix sequestration and tackle our debt and I remain committed to working with anyone, in either party, to get it done.”

Baby Boomers are aging, and the projected need for personal care assistants in the next decade far exceeds the number of people entering the field.

Health care advocates say it’s difficult to attract and retain quality workers due to low wages and a lack of benefits.

The bills cover two groups of workers – consumer-directed home care workers and in-home childcare providers – who provide enormous value to our state.

http://mankatofreepress.com/letters/x1097434717/Your-View-Unionizing-personal-care-attendants-a-plus

I’ve worked as a personal care attendant for more than 20 years, caring for seniors and people with disabilities in the Mankato and surrounding communities.

I first started working as a PCA while studying special education at Mankato State. I’ve continued the work even though I have a different full-time job. I take pride in the work I do as a PCA.

I work around 20 hours a week for five different clients who depend on me to maintain their quality of life and continue living independently. Because of my experience, I’m often asked to train other workers on how to provide quality care, be responsive to clients individual needs and to take the job seriously. I am not paid for any of the time I spend training others, but do it for the benefit of those receiving care.

I’ve seen so many PCAs come and go over the years. Many home-care workers leave for jobs with better pay and benefits. The high rate of turnover affects the clients who depend on these services.

Each time a PCA leaves, clients have to start all over in developing a relationship with a new worker.

I believe we could reduce turnover and improve the standards of workers and quality of care if we had a union in Minnesota.

A union would allow PCAs to negotiate for better wages and benefits, which would give us all a better sense of self worth for the important work we do.

Andrew Manning, North Mankato

http://current.mnsun.com/2013/04/letter-unionization-would-give-us-a-voice/

I am the home care worker for my 50-year-old son, who has schizophrenia. He lives independently at his apartment in St. Louis Park. I come by regularly to make sure everything is OK and help him with his schedule and routine.

He’s been receiving home care services since he was 25, but it’s been difficult to find good, reliable and trustworthy home care workers. When I retired, I took over as his home care worker myself to ensure he would get the care he needed.

My son is penalized with a “family deductible” – a monthly fee he has to pay in order to have me be his home care worker. It’s discriminatory to family members and makes no sense.

The work other home care workers and I do helps people like my son live independently and stay out of institutions, which saves the state money. We deserve some benefits like sick leave, vacation, and health insurance.

I want a union for home care workers so we can have more of a voice in how the system works. This will help ensure there is a stable, viable workforce. We also need to prioritize mental health more in our state, and by having a voice with a home care union, we can advocate for this kind of change.

Janet Konezny, Edina