WHEREAS:
AFSCME is the leading union representing home health care workers in the public sector and in private, non-profit agencies; and
WHEREAS:
Home health care and attendant care workers provide vital one to one services necessary for disabled individuals to live in their homes, yet more often than not suffer low wages and benefits, poor working conditions, inadequate job security, and poor supervision; and
WHEREAS:
Budget cuts seriously impair state operated institutional services, decently run community programs, and thereby increase the need for quality home health and attendant care; and
WHEREAS:
State and local governments often attempt to undercut the wages, benefits and job security of organized health workers by contracting out to profit-making health care entrepreneurs, largely unregulated or poorly regulated by the states paying the bill; and
WHEREAS:
The needs of disabled individuals are best served by a stable, high quality, client-centered and publicly accountable system of care; and
WHEREAS:
Union representation of home health and attendant care workers results in decent wages and benefits and meaningful opportunities for training and advancement that are vital factors in the promotion of high quality services.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the International Union affirms its support of home health and attendant care workers by continuing to resist federal, state and local budget cuts, while attempting to secure decent wages and working conditions, career ladders and training opportunities, and increased job security for home health and attendant care workers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the International Union will work in alliance with national disability groups to design and seek passage of a national attendant care bill to provide federal monies for the cost of attendant services provided by employees with union representation (experienced institutional employees where deinstitutionalization has occurred); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME Councils and Locals will continue their efforts to organize employees in home health care agencies while continuing to expose abuses perpetrated by health care profiteers.
SUBMITTED BY:
Adele Jordan, President
Sandra Brown, Vice President
Thelma Wright, Treasurer
Local 389, Council 1707
New York, New York