Union launches campaign to promote higher wages for home healthcare workers

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ALBANY — The nation’s largest healthcare union is launching a massive campaign to advocate for higher wages for home healthcare workers in New York City.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East releases a series of ads on social media, TV and radio to promote passage of the Homecare Fair Pay Act, a law that would raise the minimum wage for healthcare workers. home health at $22.50 per hour. Assistants are currently paid between $13 and $15 per hour.

The project would have cost nearly a million dollars. The first two ads are set to air on Tuesday and will feature the stories of the workers and their customers.

In a statement, Lilieth Clacken, a home care aide, said low wages leave many workers feeling undervalued and abandoned by the state.

“Home care is not an easy task. The ride is tough – whether it’s snowing or sunny, you have to be there,” she said.
“Without us, without me, the person cannot survive for the day. We were doing this work before the pandemic. We will do this work after the pandemic. So we’re asking the governor and Albany to raise our salaries permanently.

About 17% of home care jobs remain vacant, according to a press release issued by the organization. Proponents argue that increasing the payment would eliminate this problem and if left unaddressed, the state may not be able to meet the growing demand for people in need of care.

The researchers suggest that about 26,510 new assistants need to be hired each year to help the number of people who will need help when they reach retirement age, the statement said.

“This campaign is a chance for patients, family members, union leaders and advocates to join home care workers in calling for a sustainable and permanent wage increase,” said Rona Shapiro, Executive Vice President of the Home Care Division of 1199 SEIU. written statement.

“Too many of our workers have reached a breaking point where they have to choose between toiling to do a job they love or leaving the profession altogether. We cannot afford to lose another low-wage home care worker. We cannot afford to be silent.”

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