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Marching for California's Future
500 members of SEIU ULTCW and others packed the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church at a rally to kick off a 48-day “March for California’s Future” and to launch their own campaign to fight the Governor’s cuts to in-home care - also known as IHSS.
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SEIU Members Defeat Governor Schwarzenegger's Attempt to Cut Homecare Wages
On Wednesday, March 3, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower courts preliminary injunction which stopped Governor Schwarzenegger's 2009/2010 budget cut to reduce the state's maximum contribution toward in-home caregiver wages from $11.50 to $9.50 an hour.
"This ruling by the Court is a great victory for all Californians," said Laphonza Butler, President-Elect of SEIU-ULTCW. "It sends a clear message to the Governor that he can't balance the state's budget on the backs of thousands of hardworking in-home caregivers."
ULTCW members played a major leadership role in this lawsuit as hundreds provided written testimony or attended the hearings that were held in Oakland last fall and in Pasadena in February.
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Hundreds Turn Out for Immigration Reform at SEIU-ULTCW
(February 20, 2010 – Los Angeles) Over 400 community members, clergy,
students and SEIU members crammed into the offices of SEIU ULTCW for a
Community Accountability and Planning Session on Immigration Reform.
Congressman Xavier Becerra and SEIU ULTCW Trustee Laphonza Butler were
in attendance, hearing the stories, fears, and hopes of many in the
crowd on why we need Immigration Reform. Organized in conjunction with
local partners CHIRLA and others members of the Reform Immigration FOR
America.coalition, this event was the first in a series of engagements
with elected leaders.
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ULTCW Members and In-Home Care Recipients Featured In News
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ULTCW MEMBERS RALLY IN FRONT OF NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS
PASADENA, CA (1/18/2010) – Today, over 200 SEIU ULTCW members rallied in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena to show their support for plaintiffs in the Martinez/Yang versus Schwarzenegger - the lawsuit which challenged the Governor’s attempts to slash the state’s contribution toward in-home caregiver wages to minimum wage as part of his 2009/2010 state budget.
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GOV SCHWARZENEGGER ANNOUNCES PROPOSED CUTS TO IHSS IN HIS 2010/11 BUDGET
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Healthcare Reform Passes Senate On Christmas Eve
ULTCW Members Make Sure Their Voices Are Heard
Just after 7:00 AM (EST) on December 24, the Senate passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a 60-39 vote. Unfortunately, the final Senate bills contains bad compromises such as no Public option, taxing health insurance plans to generate revenue, and dropping the proposed expansion of Medicare to those 55 and over. We will continue to fight these compromises in the conference committee with the same passion as thousands of ULTCW members did when urging Senator Feinstein to support healthcare reform that benefits working people.
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SEIU ULTCW Wins Recognition at Two Kindred Facilities
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Santa Cruz Members Hold Candlelight Vigil For Homecare
On Monday evening (12/7/09), approximately 50 Santa Cruz County homecare providers, community advocates and local elected officials participated in a candlelight vigil at the Clock Tower in downtown Santa Cruz – calling on County Supervisors to keep their commitment to the homecare program.
Currently in contract negotiations with County officials, care providers are simply asking the County to maintain its current contribution toward their wages and their level of health benefits – no more, no less.
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Department of Labor invites members to participate in meeting about upcoming election for ULTCW Officers and Executive Board Delegates
Download the invitation to read more:
Pre-Election Meeting Invitation
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SEIU ULTCW Members Set New Course at Leadership Summit
Making a commitment to create a dynamic force for California long term care workers, their families and those they provide care to, over 1500 people attended the SEIU ULTCW Leadership Summit at the Westin Bonaventure in downtown Los Angeles on November 22-23. The two-day event was filled with many exciting and memorable moments including the creation of an 8-foot by 12-foot Hopes and Dreams mosaic comprised of the hopes of those attending (seen at left).
To view and download photos from the event, click HERE
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Counties Unable To Meet Nov 1 IHSS Deadline
October 28, 2009 – At a hearing held at the State Capitol, information was brought forward that demonstrates that the Schwarzenegger Administration is unprepared to meet it’s own November 1 deadline to implement new job restrictions on IHSS providers.
At least seven counties have said that the Administration has provided confusing orders and failed to provide funds and materials that were promised. As a result, they cannot meet the Administration’s November 1 deadline to fingerprint providers, hold orientation sessions and provide employment-related materials for tens-of-thousands of home care providers.
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Members Rally Before Court Hearing to Stop Cuts to IHSS
ULTCW members joined hundreds of other SEIU brother and sisters, IHSS consumers and disability advocates outside Federal District Court in Oakland today in support of the lawsuit to stop cuts to home care services and hours.
The rally preceded a hearing at which home care providers and consumers sought a preliminary injunction to stop the Governor's cuts to the IHSS program. A decision from the Court could come as early as today.
Keep posted on the hearing through Twitter by following "
seiuULTCW" or visiting
www.twitter.com/seiuULTCW
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US Federal Judge Halts Cuts To IHSS Hours and Services!
(OAKLAND) ULTCW members along with other home care providers and IHSS clients prevailed in federal court on Monday (10/19) by securing a preliminary injunction against the IHSS cuts that were scheduled to take place on November 1. The ruling, which was made by Judge Wilken, means that California cannot implement cuts to home hours or services until the court has had the opportunity to rule on whether or not these cuts are legal.
Today's court ruling is yet another huge victory in our continued fight to protect the home care program and our clients.
Press coverage of the injunction
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SEIU and Other Disability Advocates Win Temporary Restraining Order Against the State
(OCT 14, 2009) On the evening before the state was prepared to send notices to 130,000 home care consumers that the services they rely on would be cut or eliminated, caregivers and consumers won an important first legal victory in a lawsuit to stop cuts.
The temporary restraining order prohibits the state from mailing the notices until the Court has had the chance to rule after an October 19th hearing on whether a longer-term preliminary injunction should be issued.
Read full Press Release
Keep posted on the hearing through Twitter by following "
Read More
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FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED TO STOP CUTS TO HOMECARE
On October 1, 2009, SEIU ULTCW joined other SEIU locals, labor unions and advocacy groups in filing a lawsuit in federal court to stop the devastating cuts to the IHSS program. The lawsuit alleges that IHSS cuts will violate the federal constitutional due process protections, the Medicaid Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The cuts in IHSS services are scheduled to take effect November 1, 2009. If these cuts do take place at least 40,000 California seniors and people with disabilities will lose services entirely and an additional 97,000 will have their services cut sharply.
» View Press Coverage
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Nearly 40,000 LA County Seniors and Disabled to Lose Home Care Service Hours
At the September meeting of the LA County public authority, County officials announced that nearly 40,000 LA County IHSS recipients will either lose vital care hours or services all together due to State budget cuts.
Effective November 1, 2009, the County estimates that 8,400 IHSS recipients will lose all of their IHSS services, while an additional 30,000 will experience cuts to their care hours. These cuts are also estimated to impact the work hours of nearly 30,000 LA County IHSS providers.
What You Need To Do: To learn more about the 5 Steps you need to take to take to reduce the impact of these cuts on you and your client(s),
click here!
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ULTCW and Disability Advocates Call-Out Governor for Honoring Mother-in-Law While At The Same Time Cutting Vital Home Care Services
In a September 18, 2009, Los Angeles Times story, Governor Schwarzenegger claimed that it was the voice of his late mother-in-law, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, that moved him to take action to protect the independence of approximately twenty disabled residents by stopping their eviction from a Monrovia apartment complex.
What outraged disability advocates and ULTCW members and triggered a statewide press response was the fact that while taking steps to help twenty Californians in need, the Governor is jeopardizing the safety and independence of nearly 140,000 seniors and people with disabilities with his cuts to the IHSS program.
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Hundreds Attend Labor Day Healthcare Reform Event and Send a Clear Message to Congress That Reform Must Happen Now!
LOS ANGELES: SEIU ULTCW Co-Trustee Laphonza Butler led a group of healthcare debate leaders, including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Dr. Paul Song, Assemblyperson Michael Eng and Dr. Rishi Manchanda, in a call to action during the early morning hours of Labor Day to kick off the Healthy Works Fair + Film + Action event: demanding Healthcare Reform now. Hundreds of Union members, community activists and young people watched “Sicko,” shared healthcare life stories, and sent urgent letters to Congress.
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Governor Deepens Cuts to IHSS Program As He Signs State Budget
The Governor furthered his assault on home care providers and consumers by making additional cuts as he signed the new State budget into law on July 28th. Using his veto power, the Governor’s last minute cuts included the removal of safety precautions to protect IHSS hours for the most vulnerable of IHSS recipients and essential funding for Public Authorities.
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State Budget Update
On Monday (July 20th) Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders reached an agreement on the State budget. While the hard work of our members stopped the budget from being worse, it’s still unacceptable. The specific details of the budget have not yet been released, but we do know it includes cuts that impact nursing home workers and residents, and IHSS providers and consumers.
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ULTCW Members Join Disability Advocates to Protest Cuts At Governor’s Brentwood Mansion
On Friday, July 17, more than one hundred and thirty SEIU ULTCW members joined disability activists in front of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Brentwood home to protest his proposed budget cuts that would leave poor families homeless and kick seniors and people with disabilities out of the safety of their homes.
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Federal judge orders Schwarzenegger Administration to comply with order that blocks state reduction for IHSS worker wages
OAKLAND (July 14, 2009) - In a ruling issued late yesterday afternoon, Judge Wilken of the U.S. District Court ordered California to comply with her June 25, 2009, ruling which halts the State’s plans to cut In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) wages.
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Judge Rules In Favor of SEIU to Halt Reduction in IHSS Worker Wages!
“I’m so proud to be a part of SEIU! The court’s ruling in our favor brings great hope to hundreds of thousands of home care workers and consumers, and sends a clear message to Sacramento that we will not stand by and let the state’s budget be balanced on the backs of our seniors, people with disabilities and those who care for them.”
- Xin Fong Huang, Alameda County IHSS Provider
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CONFERENCE COMMITTEE CUTS WILL HURT SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
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Thousands Gather in Downtown Los Angeles to Protest Drastic Cuts to State's Homecare Program
Crowd sends a clear message to the Governor and Legislators that these cuts must be stopped as they will put lives at risk!
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Obama Administration Rules Against California’s Proposed Wage Cuts to Homecare Workers
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Members rally in support of EFCA and against corporate excess
Today, April 28th, 2009, over 120 members and staff joined other SEIU locals and community partners at the LA City Council Chambers to watch and cheer as the LA City Council voted to pass a resolution in support of the Employee Free Choice Act.
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SEIU Workers Unite in Solidarity on the Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination
On Saturday, April 4th, fifty ULTCW Long Term Care workers and staff marched in solidarity with over 400 SEIU members, family, and friends on the anniversary of the day of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.
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Members in Northern California stay active to fight Budget Cuts
On Friday, March 27th, in Northern California, the members and staff of our Local put on four separate actions to kick off our campaign against the State's cuts!
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San Bernardino Workers Save Health Plan!
On Tuesday, March 17, 2009, San Bernardino County IHSS workers returned to the
Board of Supervisors to express their concern over the Public Authority’s desire
to unilaterally change worker healthcare to a plan that would result in less
coverage and higher out-of-pocket costs.
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Hundreds of Homecare Workers and Allies Protest Proposed Detrimental Changes to Healthcare Plan in San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA (March 10, 2009) – Today, hundreds of homecare workers and community allies turned out to protest proposed changes to the County homecare workers’ health plan.
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SEIU-ULTCW members join UHW Solidarity Rally
On February 26th, over fifty SEIU-ULTCW long-term care members and staff drove to the SEIU-UHW Solidarity Rally in Commerce, CA. They came to show support for the Employee Free Choice Act, for reforming the healthcare system, and, most importantly, for a strong, united, and statewide long-term care union.
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Los Angeles Homecare Movement Celebrates its 10th Anniversary!
On February 25, 1999, the dream that started with a few became reality for all as workers voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU 434-B. Nearly 80,000 Los Angeles County homecare workers celebrated their greatest victory over what started out as a dream shared by Verdia Daniels, Ophelia McFadden and other coworkers to have a unified voice that would demand better wages and respect through a collective bargaining agreement.
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SEIU Long Term Care workers show solidarity in Fresno this Valentine's Day
Over 200 ULTCW long term care members, their families, and consumers drove to Fresno this Valentine's day to show their solidarity with their UHW brothers and sisters who are fighting for a new contract.
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SEIU Members Rally in Front of Governor's Offices Statewide
On Friday, February 13th, SEIU members – including long term care workers - rallied statewide in opposition to any potential budget cuts or spending caps. They demanded accountability and public input before decisions that affect the whole state are made.
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1000 SEIU MEMBERS RALLY AT STATE CAPITOL
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SEIU 6434 Members Participate in STATE OF THE PEOPLE Event on steps of State Capitol
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CALIFORNIA SEIU MEMBERS TO FORM NATION’S LARGEST LONG TERM CARE UNION
WASHINGTON, DC—The International Executive Board of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) today voted overwhelmingly to adopt the recommendations of an outside hearing officer, based on a policy first established at the 2000 SEIU Convention eight years ago, to have home care and nursing home workers in three SEIU local unions in California unite into a single local union to create the nation’s largest and most powerful organization of long term care workers – 240,000 strong.
“The evolution of SEIU jurisdictional policy and practice since the 2000 SEIU Convention demonstrates a clear trend toward consolidating SEIU local unions on industrial and geographical lines,” wrote Leonard Page, former General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, in his report to the IEB. “By implementing its jurisdictional policy, SEIU has been able to create local unions of the size and resources to successfully mount the organizing, political and collective bargaining campaigns t
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Weekend Walk for Obama in Nevada
Members from SEIU Local 6434 throughout Southern and Northern California traveled to Reno, Nevada, to campaign for Barack Obama the weekend of October 25 and 26th. It was an extraordinary journey. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits and ready to go.
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Long-Term Care Workers Celebrate Victory and Involvement in Several Elections Throughout California
One week after historic voter turnouts, members of SEIU Local 6434 – the United Long-Term Care Workers’ Union (ULTCW) and its sister organization, California United Homecare Workers (CUHW), are still celebrating the victories of several political races throughout California in which its members played key roles in their success.
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Trusteeship Update
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Alliance for a Stronger Community to Support Mark Ridley-Thomas for Los Angeles County Supervisor
SEIU members, staff and volunteers gathered in Culver City to support the Alliance for a Stronger Community. The Alliance is supporting democratic candidate Mark Ridley-Thomas for Los Angeles County Supervisor, District 2 in the upcoming November 4th election.
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Message From President Stern
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Seniors Meet to Build Bridges and Get More Involved
Seniors from Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties met at the Alexander Hughes Community Center in Claremont on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, as the ULTCW Seniors Association convened as part of a continuing effort to get seniors involved in their community.
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Bass to Republicans: It's time to work together
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Assemblymember Warren Furutani hosted a
packed-house town hall forum at Cal State University - Dominguez Hills
Tuesday night, calling on Republican legislators to step up and sign
the budget Democrats have proposed.
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California SEIU Members Support Single Union Uniting Long-Term Care Workers
LOS ANGELES— SEIU announced today that its California healthcare members have voted to support the creation of a single local uniting the state’s long term care workers.
The International Executive Board (IEB), SEIU’s highest democratically-elected decision-making body, will weigh the results of the non-binding advisory vote next month as it considers reforms designed to strengthen the representation of California long term care workers.
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Homecare Worker Pauline Beck Featured In San Francisco Chronicle
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Kindred Workers Demand a Better Deal
Your Bargaining Committee met with Kindred Tuesday, November 18th to continue to hammer out a new contract.
The workers - who represent Kindred employees from across California -- have several demands.
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Members use 75,000 support cards to create STOP HOMECARE CUTS logo on Capitol steps
Today, June 15, members of SEIU 6434 and UHW made sure that our message to STOP HOMECARE CUTS was not only heard by Sacramento legislators, but also seen as Conference Committee members prepare to vote on the proposed cuts to IHSS this afternoon!
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More Pictures from the Option A Action Center
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Nursing Home Caregivers, Patients Win Improvements
LOS ANGELES (October 30, 2008) Members of SEIU 6434, United Long-Term Care Workers’ Union have negotiated new collective bargaining agreements that will make improvements for hundreds of caregivers and the residents in their care at several California nursing homes.
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People's Convention Demands Action On Budget
A crowd of over 1,200 made up of disability advocate groups, senior groups, the United Long Term Care Workers Union and a host of other SEIU locals gathered on Monday (Sept. 15) to speak out against California's stalling budget crisis.
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SEIU California State Council Launches TV Ad
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SEIU MEMBERS AND ALLIES RALLY TO STOP "TRIGGER" CUTS
If enacted, further cuts would destabilize home care for thousands of vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities, take away critical, often life-saving healthcare from 3 million Californians, slash our system of higher education even more, and take away from the meager financial support California provides to low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
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Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg Returns IHSS Worker Call
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STOP HOMECARE CUTS VIDEO
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The Results are In!
We have great news!
On Thursday (Dec 11th), the advisory vote ballots were counted and our voice was heard!
Option A was the clear choice of long term care workers throughout California.
Our support for Option A sends a clear message that long term care workers want to unite into a single statewide union – 230,000 members strong – that will give us the strength necessary to save California homecare and protect nursing home funding.
Now that they have received our overwhelming recommendation for Option A, the International Executive Board will be meeting in early January as they make the final decision on how we will be organized.
Congratulations to everyone who voted and made our voice heard!