Seiu Michigan Home Care Workers United Lobby Legislature To Pass And Fund S.B. 790 And 791 Now
EIU Michigan Home Care Workers United lobby Legislature to pass and fund S.B. 790 and 791 NOW Legislation will give home care workers the right to form a union
LANSING, MI. — On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, home care workers from around the state, joined together as Michigan Home Care Workers United (MIHCWU) and descended upon the State Capitol to urge legislators to pass and fund Senate Bills 790 and 791, which will improve home care jobs and services in the state. The bills will restore collective bargaining rights for home care workers and establish a public authority to provide necessary workforce infrastructure and support.
The press conference took place at Central United Methodist Church in Lansing. Attendees heard from caregivers, directors from partner organizations, and union leaders who all emphasized the critical need for this legislation and the impact it would have on their lives and the community. The Legislative cycle is coming to a close and the passage of these bills is essential for the wellbeing of thousands of home care workers and their clients across Michigan. The urgency is further underscored by the growing demand for home care workers as 24% of Michigan's population will be 60 and older by 2030. During the Unions for All events day, home care workers engaged in inspiring sessions that energized the group and demonstrated the power of solidarity.
Following an introduction to the initiative by MIHCWU leaders, participants engaged in lobby training sessions to prepare for impactful interactions with lawmakers. They then visited the Capitol to advocate for the critical bills by sharing their personal experiences with legislators. The action in Lansing today comes on the heels of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's visit to home care worker Ravina Turner to "walk a day in her shoes" and experience what it's like to provide skilled, compassionate care every day to people who count on home care services to live with dignity at home.
Ravina guided Governor Whitmer through the activities of daily living that home care workers provide for the people they care for, including bathing, shopping and preparing meals, transferring and transporting, and light housekeeping — demanding activities that older Americans and people with disabilities count on to live independently. View Governor Whitmer's Walk A Day video here.
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