It’s time to put the gloves back on in the battle between county
homecare workers, supervisors and the Service Employee
International Union.
It’s time to put the gloves back on in the battle between county homecare workers, supervisors and the Service Employee International Union.
The fight reached a fever in March when the homecare workers, angry over the supervisors’ refusal to grant a $1 an hour raise, picketed outside of Supervisor Pat Loe’s home, reportedly banging on the windows of her living room. And last week they protested outside of the supervisors meeting, their chants echoing throughout the board chambers.
With an hourly wage of $9.50, the roughly 280 homecare workers have plenty of reason to want, need and deserve more money, but all the want in the world won’t put more coins in the county’s coffer. The county is facing a $6.5 million budget deficit this year and we believe supervisors when they say they cannot afford the $1 per hour raise at this time, even if the state does chip in the lion’s share of the expense. The workers have been offered a 3 percent raise.
Meanwhile union rep John Vellardita vowed the protests would continue even though the county has made a good faith gesture to enter into mediation with the workers. That tactic seems a little bullish, just as banging on Loe’s windows is out of line.
No one is saying the homecare workers and their state-mandated programs are not worthy of a salary increase – everyone knows they’re servicing important members of our society. The crux of the argument is that the county doesn’t have the money and workers will enter into a new contract negotiation in October. That is the time to draw a line in the sand over wage issues, not now considering most other county employees only had a 3 percent increase this year as well. It also should be remembered that the homecare workers received two salary increases in 2004 for a combined 40 percent raise.
That said their salary is dreadfully low considering the care they provide and the county should prepare to bring the workers another healthy raise next fall – one that brings them in line with other nearby areas. It’s sad to think the people taking care of the elderly in San Benito County could earn higher wages at Gilroy’s In-N-Out Burger. What kind of caring, knowledgeable and committed workers have left the program over the years because it doesn’t pay a livable wage?
But in the end, it’s the taxpayer left with the check for any salary increases, including the people who benefit from the worker’s care. Considering the significant deficit the county still must overcome, every penny, let alone dollar, definitely counts.
