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McKenna’s anti-worker stance: We cannot afford another Scott Walker
Federal Way – Rob McKenna’s Monday press conference showed more than his efforts to interfere with the state budget; it was a chance for Washington’s working families to see what kind of “reforms” he would bring as governor. The plan he presented left many fearing that McKenna, as governor, would make Washington look a lot like Wisconsin.
McKenna revealed his true position on collective bargaining—proposing to weaken the entire process. On Monday, he proposed undermining the collective bargaining process for thousands of nurses, child care workers, home care workers, and other public employees and leaving these workers’ future to the mercy of a political budget process that even he claims has failed to produce results. And McKenna, who once voted against a motion “calling for fair wages and equitable treatment of workers seeking collective bargaining rights [King County Council Vote No. 10492, 7/6/98], is also aiming to increase health care costs for workers.
Workers from around the state had strong reactions to McKenna’s proposal.
“Home care workers have fought for increased wages, affordable health insurance and workers compensation, to help ensure qualified staff for our states’ long-term care programs, ” said Denese Wallace, a home care worker from Everett. “Still, most of us barely make $10 an hour and can’t afford a governor who wants to unilaterally increase health care costs and make it harder to receive a living wage. We can’t let Rob McKenna make Washington another Wisconsin.”
“Middle class workers are struggling enough without Rob McKenna’s attempts to increase our healthcare costs and weaken our collective bargaining,” said Chris Lakey, a clinical technologist from Seattle. “Our reforms need to be focused on increasing support for education and healthcare, not lowering the standards. The workers in this state cannot afford a Scott Walker.”
“Nurse consultants provide critical oversight to protect residents of nursing homes, boarding homes, and adult family homes – our collective bargaining rights are our patient advocacy voice,” said Cuca Botello, a nurse consultant from Yakima. “We enforce state and/or federal laws, and we make sure our residents have their basic human needs and healthcare needs met. Turning back the clock on our rights would mean we don’t have a voice in how our work is done, and that can jeopardize public safety and our role of protecting our residents. We won’t let Wisconsin happen here.”
Contacts:
Doug Crooks Linnae Riesen Sudha Nandagopal
SEIU Healthcare 775NW SEIU Healthcare1199NW SEIU 925
206-538-4504 425-306-2061 206-659-5079
Jay Inslee receives endorsement of SEIU Locals in Washington
As governor, Jay Inslee’s leadership on job creation, healthcare for all and education will benefit all Washington residents
Washington – Citing Jay Inslee’s leadership advocating policies that benefit Washington’s working families, five SEIU local unions representing nearly 100,000 members announced their support today for Jay Inslee for governor of Washington state.
“When it comes to healthcare, Jay puts people first,” said Vicki Neumeier, RN, and member of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. “He spoke out against the multi-million dollar tax breaks Wall Street banks receive even as our patients lose access to care, and that’s the kind of leadership our patients are counting on. We need a governor who stands with patients, not Wall Street profits.”
“Our next governor must ensure that all Washingtonians, from their earliest years through college, can get the education they need for success,” said Kathy Yasi, a family childcare provider and member of SEIU 925. “We need a leader who will work for the 99% and stand with hard working families. Jay Inslee is the only candidate in this race with the proven experience we need to create jobs, ensure a strong public education system and create a Washington where we all can support our families.”
“Jay Inslee has long supported quality in-home care for seniors and people with disabilities—that means a lot to me,” said Denese Wallace, a home care worker and member of SEIU Healthcare 775NW. “He’s working to rebuild our middle class, create jobs, and lift workers out of poverty by fighting for real career pathways and workforce training.”
“We need a governor that respects a worker’s right to organize,” said Charles Pannell, a janitor and member of SEIU Property Services 6NW. “Jay Inslee supports workers’ efforts in Washington State to make every job a good job.”
SEIU has a long history of endorsing both Republican and Democratic pro-worker candidates. Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee were both invited to compete for the endorsement of SEIU locals through candidate interviews, questionnaires and meeting with rank and file members including childcare providers, nurses, healthcare workers, nursing home and home care workers, public school and higher education employees, and janitors.
SEIU locals expressed disappointment that Rob McKenna chose not to participate in the endorsement process or complete a candidate questionnaire.
These SEIU locals represent 100,000 Washington state workers in health care, public services, and property services. SEIU is the nation’s largest and fastest growing union and represents over 2 million members nationwide.
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SEIU Locals endorsing Jay Inslee include:
SEIU Local 6 – representing 3,500 janitors and security guards in central Puget Sound and Spokane
SEIU Local 49 – representing 1,200 health care workers in Southwest Washington
SEIU Healthcare 775NW – representing 43,000 home care and nursing home workers statewide
SEIU 925 – representing 23,000 education and child care workers statewide
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW – representing 22,000 nurses, healthcare workers, mental health, and state employees statewide
The Affordable Care Act: An Appeal to the Repealers
Washington, DC – Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing more than 2.1 million working families dedicated to quality, affordable healthcare for all issued the follow statement today on the two-year anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
“Today, millions of working families across America are saying ‘thank you’ for the Affordable Care Act as it continues to deliver on its vision of providing quality, affordable, secure healthcare to all, regardless of age, race, income, faith or profession. The law is the great equalizer – no one man or woman is more or less deserving than another. In the eyes of the Affordable Care Act, there is no 1% or 99%. There are only Americans who all deserve an equal chance to live longer, healthier lives.
“The Affordable Care Act is working. If you care about the future of this country, move on to a real challenge. Stop playing politics with the health of Americans and stop engaging in threats in the form of lawsuits, refusal of federal dollars and legislative foot dragging. That will not make America great; it will make us broke and sick.
“If you are running false ads against the Affordable Care Act, stop them. If you are undermining the foundation of Medicaid and Medicare and attempting to embarrass American taxpayers and veterans who depend upon on these essential services, take a moment and remember who built this country.
“While this week underscored that Republican extremists in Congress are happy to continuing stacking the deck against our struggling middle-class and aging parents and grandparents, I would appeal to leaders in our government who truly want America to recover from this recession to focus on what matters most: creating good jobs.”
Gov. Gregoire signs Washington State Health Benefit Exchange bill into law
Bill signing marks two year anniversary of federal Affordable Care Act
OLYMPIA – Today Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law E2SHB 2319 – the Washington State Health Benefit Exchange bill, ensuring individuals and small businesses have accessible, affordable healthcare coverage. The bill signing marks the two year anniversary of the federal Affordable Care Act.
“Today we took a giant step in our goal of providing quality and affordable health care to every Washingtonian by 2014,” Gregoire said. “No longer will millions have inadequate insurance that does little when they most need it.”
With the passing of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act by congress in 2010, each state was given the option of developing and administering its own healthcare exchange, or having a “one-size-fits-all” exchange introduced and operated by the federal government starting Jan.1, 2014. At the Governor’s request, legislation was passed last session forming the foundation for a state-designed and administered health benefit exchange. Washington state is among the first states to develop and implement a health benefit exchange before the 2014 deadline. The Washington State Health Care Authority has developed, and will administer, a state-wide healthcare exchange website housing all competitive healthcare information for prospective buyers.
“It was a tough fight, but the consumer protections included in this bill ensure that health plans can’t cherry pick and take only healthy customers,” Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said. “Nearly everybody gets sick at some point. Under Washington’s exchange, they’ll be able to find the coverage they need – and many will get help paying for it.”
Under the new Health Benefit Exchange, consumers can quickly and easily compare insurance plans and standard benefit options, including, doctors’ visits, hospitalization, maternity care, and mental health care. The exchange website is built with individuals and small businesses in mind and creates a user-friendly platform for purchasing healthcare in a one-stop shop capacity.
Senator Karen Keiser sponsored legislation in the Senate and Representative Eileen Cody sponsored legislation in the House.
“We are creating a new opportunity for Washington citizens to enter this marketplace and have access to affordable, competitive health plans at a price they can manage,” said Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, chair of the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee. “This bill will create a viable, sustainable and consumer friendly marketplace that promotes competition and reduces the complexity of purchasing health insurance. This is the future of insurance in the state of Washington. While other states have run into political barriers, inhibiting their ability in implement health reform, in Washington, we continue to move forward.”
The bill signing marked the two-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The Affordable Care Act has already made a difference in Washington state by ensuring:
More than 2.4 million Washingtonians no longer have a lifetime limit on their health insurance plan, thanks to health care reform giving them hope and help.
More than 1.2 million Washingtonians have either received or added coverage for important preventive services.
More than 62,000 seniors received a significant rebate to help cover prescription drug costs when they hit the donut hole in 2010. In 2011 more than 60,000 received a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs, saving an average of $598 per person. By 2020 the Affordable Care Act will close the donut hole.
More than 52,000 young adults in Washington under age 26 have gained health insurance coverage through their parents’ plan.
One million Washingtonians will no longer be uninsured and worry that getting sick or hurt could lead to financial ruin.
Small businesses — the backbone of our economy — no longer have to pay more than larger businesses for employee health care.
Washingtonians will no longer be afraid to change jobs, have a baby or make other life changes because they fear how they will cope if they lose coverage.
Gov. Gregoire vetoed section 26 of E2SHB 2319, due to redundant language and undue risk of litigation.
The News Tribune: Quality of long-term care threatened
By CRAIG LEVEE, For The News Tribune
As a provider of long-term care for more than three decades, I’ve seen that care evolve in our state from being provided almost exclusively by nursing homes to being available in a variety of home and community-based settings.
In fact, I’m part of that evolution. Not only do I own and work in a nursing home that’s provided skilled nursing care in Lacey for 41 years, but I operate a licensed boarding home providing assisted living across the street. I’ve even reduced my number of nursing home beds. The goal is to allow residents to age in place. Either lighter or more intensive care is available.
That goal is imperiled by Medicaid cuts before the Legislature. While nursing home reimbursement is based upon both cost and exacting criteria, making it easier to quantify a chronic funding shortfall, payments in the home and community-based settings are more arbitrarily set based upon whatever budget circumstances confront the Legislature.
A recent study showed individual providers leaving home care in our state, for example, had an average final hourly wage of $10.36 per hour. The study found the former workers, upon employment outside long-term care, saw an average $4.53 per hour spike in wages.
To provide long-term care is a labor of love, with no expectation of wealth. But is it unreasonable for caregivers to expect state Medicaid payments will at least afford living wages and benefits?
With rates for around-the-clock care, meals and housing in boarding homes as low as $47.06 a day, the 2 percent Medicaid cut the Legislature is contemplating would shave almost a daily dollar off the lowest payments. It would be hard to find any motel for that rate.
The total $3.4 million cut over a single year will act as a further disincentive for boarding home providers to offer Medicaid care where they can avoid it, which would be a shame for a state looking for cost-effective care options. And it piles on to previous cuts, including a brutal 7 percent cut that ran from April through June 2011.
Nor do I believe the state can find appropriate placements for all 60 Western State Hospital patients it seeks to discharge into the community to try to capture a savings of $4.3 million.
These are patients with dementia, traumatic brain injuries or other organic brain disorders who would not be appropriate for placement among the largely geriatric population of the average nursing home. Frequently these disabilities require intense staffing due to behavioral issues.
We’re on a fatal trajectory as our society ages. In the interest of my caregivers, residents and patients, I’m among care providers willing to partner with legislators to find a way forward from this point, even if that includes revenue increases that might affect me.
We must have that revenue conversation before it’s too late to turn back from a path of budgetary neglect and conflict with other funding needs like education.
Craig LeVee is the owner and administrator of Lacey’s Roo-Lan Health Care Center and The Lodges.
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/03/22/2077382/legislatures-budget-cuts-threaten.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
Op-ed The Olympian: Innovation needed to address growing senior population
Programs that provide home and community-based long-term care for the elderly citizens of this state appear to be safe from severe cuts in the 2011-13 supplemental budget.This is welcome news to the thousands of vulnerable seniors who are taking advantage of state-funded programs that keep them in their own homes and out of nursing homes.
Republicans and Democrats alike have seen the wisdom of innovative programs that began to take shape in this state about 15 years ago, triggering what elder care advocates call a “quiet reform” in long-term care for seniors.
It’s quiet because many people have no idea how much has been accomplished in this state by the elder care advocates and their allies in the state Legislature. Statistics help to tell the story. Here are some examples.
In 1992, the nursing home case load in the state stood at 17,000. Under the policies in place 20 years ago, the caseload today would be close to 27,000.
Instead, a number of innovative senior care programs were instituted that extend the ability of seniors to live independently with support from caregivers who provide care in home and community-based settings.
Today, the nursing home population is 10,800, despite a near doubling of the population of seniors 85 years of age and older in Washington state.
According to the Office of Financial Management, the successful move away from expensive nursing home care has saved the state some $3.34 billion since 1996. That’s because the state can serve 2.3 times more consumers per dollar in home and community based settings, compared with nursing home settings, according to a report by the Washington Aging and Disability Services Administration.
This is not to say that nursing homes aren’t a critical component in the elder care continuum. It’s more an affirmation that options providing safe and healthy home care can extend independent lifestyles for those seniors not experiencing debilitating illnesses and chronic diseases.
A state scorecard on long-term services for seniors prepared last year by AARP, the Commonwealth Fund and the Scan Foundation, ranked Washington state’s long-term care system for elders second-best in the nation, leading the way in choice of settings and providers and tops for supporting family caregivers.
At the same time, the scorecard found the state system cost-effective, ranking 30th in per capita spending on long term care.
It all adds up to say this state is one of the best in the country at coping with the challenges of aging in a dignified and compassionate way.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of room for improvement. Senior care programs have taken repeated hits throughout the Great Recession, threatening to unravel much of the good work of the past 15 years. Examples include reduced funding for adult day health centers and home care agencies, and reduced funding for the family care-giving support program.
Budget success these days is measured not by increases in funding. Rather, it’s more about holding the line on further cuts or minimizing the erosion of programs.
Clearly this does not bode well for the future as baby boomers swell the ranks of the senior citizen population. In 2007, 11.7 percent of the state population was 65 years of age and older, or 758,000 individuals. By 2030, the 65 and older population is projected at 18.1 percent in this state, or 1.56 million individuals.
This senior citizen population growth should not be lost on legislators who set funding priorities. Seniors are also a powerful political force. In the 2012 election, some 56 percent of the electorate will be 50 or older, election officials have estimated.
As the economy slowly recovers, the state, its families and its senior citizens would be well-served by a new way of thinking about aging. Elder care advocates call it “aging readiness,” making decisions on housing, land-use, transportation and health care that help seniors live healthier, more independent lives.
It’s time to start treating seniors as resources, not liabilities. Many can care for each other, mentor young professionals, volunteer in the schools and contribute to society in other ways.
To that end, the Legislature would be wise to create House and Senate committees on aging so that issues important to senior citizens would have a more focused forum.
Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/11/v-print/2025401/innovation-needed-to-address-growing.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
The Columbian News Article: Union organizes protest to call attention to reduced services, work hours
By Paris Achen
Vancouver police and Washington State Patrol officers place protester Pamela McCarty in a police vehicle. Photo by Troy Wayrynen
Columbian Staff Reporter
Originally published February 21, 2012 at 8:54 p.m., updated February 21, 2012 at 8:39 p.m.
A dozen protesters affiliated with the Service Employees International Union occupied the state Office of Administrative Hearings in Vancouver Tuesday and staged a sit-down strike at closing time Tuesday to protest recent state cuts to in-home care.
Five of the demonstrators chose to be arrested after repeated warnings from police. They were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing.
They said they were protesting cuts to work hours for in-home care services paid for by the state Department of Social and Health Services. Effective Feb. 1, the cut of eight hours per month affected Medicaid clients who live 45 minutes away from central services such as grocery stores or receive off-site laundry services from their home care provider. The cut means home care providers lose work hours, which affects their overall income.
“DSHS did this with an emergency rule, which means they didn’t go through the Legislature,” said Benton Strong, a spokesman for SEIU Healthcare. SEIU represents home care workers paid by the state.
“They didn’t tell the Legislature; they didn’t tell the union,” Strong said. “We found out after clients received letters that their hours were being cut.”
DSHS communications director Thomas Shapley did not immediately respond to a call to his cellphone at 7 p.m. Tuesday requesting comment.
The protest began at noon outside the office at 5300 MacArthur Blvd. Some time before closing, the protesters abandoned their outdoor demonstration and moved inside the small lobby of the office. When the office closed, the protesters refused to leave the lobby in defiance of office employee and police officer requests shortly after 5 p.m. The protesters circled a pile of laundry they dumped in the center of the lobby as they sang lyrics they’d made up to go along with songs such as “Happy Birthday to You.”
“Dirty laundry to you, dirty laundry to you, dirty laundry, DSHS, dirty laundry because of you,” they sang in unison. The singing was interchanged with chanting and drumming.
“These hours were cut in secret,” said Sharon Kitchel-Perdue, a home care worker from Olympia who came to
Vancouver for the protest. Kitchel-Perdue said five out of 12 protesters were from Clark County.
About 16 police cars from Washington State Patrol and the Vancouver Police Department responded to the scene. The officers arrested protesters about an hour after their response and after multiple warnings. They escorted each protester out of the lobby one by one to a back door, where police cars were parked.
Vancouver resident Gayle Sevier, 54, was one of those arrested. She is paid by the state to care for her 89-year-old mother, Clara Sevier. Her state-paid hours have been reduced from 108 hours per month in 2011 to 100 hours in February because Gayle Sevier washes Clara Sevier’s laundry at a laundry business away from the 89-year-old’s home at Vintage Vancouver, an independent-living retirement center. Gayle Sevier lives at the center with her mother. She said she has had to reduce her grocery budget since her hours were cut. Her mother’s meals are included in the retirement center rent.
In Washington, the median pay for a state-employed home care worker is about $10.40 per hour, said Linda Lee, a Vancouver caretaker on the board of the SEIU local chapter.
Those arrested were to be booked into jail and expected to be released,
said Vancouver police Sgt. Kevin Hatley.
Union members arrested protesting cuts to homecare services
Amping up their campaign to pressure the Department of Social and Health Services to reverse its unilateral cuts to home care services, SEIU Healthcare 775NW members and homecare clients staged a sit-in demonstration at the DSHS Vancouver office.
The protest was one of half a dozen being staged at DSHS offices around the state.
Chants of “Dirty laundry, DSHS, dirty laundry because of you,” dumping clients’ laundry in the lobby and members refusing to leave the office, brought police and six arrests for trespassing.
Read The Columbian’s news article.
The Department of Social and Health Services unilaterally imposed cuts to hours, which members say result in unsafe and unhealthy conditions for clients and are unfair for homecare service providers. The cuts went into effect on February 1 without legislative approval and without prior notice to clients or workers.
Among those participating was Clara Sevier, 89, who watched her daughter and homecare provider be escorted to a police car. Sevier lost eight-hours of care due to the unilateral action by DSHS.
“These hours were cut in secret and DSHS is refusing any appeal,” said Sharon Kitchel-Perdue, a home care worker from Olympia who came to Vancouver for the protest. “We cannot stand by while this agency continues to make cuts to the care we provide to our state’s most vulnerable citizens.”
Union members arrested protesting cuts to homecare services
In Vancouver, WA, unionized homecare workers protested cuts to work hours and reduced services during a sit-in demonstration at the local state Department of Social and Health Services on February 21.
The agency imposed cuts to hours, which protesters say are unfair for homecare service providers. The cuts that went into effect on February 1 without legislative action and without notifying SEIU Healthcare 775NW.
The cuts directly affect clients who rely on independent providers and homecare workers.
The Colombian reported that protesters brought in a pile of laundry into the DSHS office and held a sit-in protested. They chanted, “Dirty laundry, DSHS, dirty laundry because of you.”
In an act of civil disobedience, 6 members were arrested for refusing to leave the DSHS offices at 6pm. Clara Sevier, 89-years-old, watched her daughter and homecare worker be escorted to a police car, reports Paris Achen a local journalist on her twitter feed. Sevier lost 8-hours of care from the cuts.
Many more like Sevier have had 8-hours cut from services. The cut applies to home care clients who live 45 min. from central services or whose care providers do off-site laundry.
Prior to the arrest, protestors were locked in the lobby of the DSHS offices and locking out media reporters. Achen also reported that police sent 8 patrol cars to the protest, one for every protestor.
Caring across generations
Historic day for Nursing Home workers
Long-term caregivers fight back at the capitol
Steven Lerner at SEIU Healthcare 775NW Convention
More cuts to home-care workforce would be costly in the long run
The Seattle Times
With a surge in the state’s senior population, it makes no sense to continue eroding support for Washington’s home-care workforce, says the president of SEIU Healthcare 775NW.
By David Rolf, Special to The Times
As the Legislature considers more budget cuts on top of the more than $10 billion already slashed, a new report, “Why They Leave; Turnover Among Washington’s Home Care Workers,” shows that further targeting the long-term-care workforce would be costly to the state.
One in five of the more than 42,000 people who care for seniors and people with disabilities lives in poverty, making barely more than $10 per hour on average. Up to half will be forced to leave the field this year. This high turnover not only increases costs but also will make it increasingly difficult to recruit enough caregivers to care for the growing senior population in our state.
The report, developed by SEIU Healtcare 775NW, concluded that several factors, including low wages, inadequate training and the lack of a career pathway for home-care workers, have led to the turnover and escalating costs to the state. The cost of losing a worker, and training a new one, is about $5,000 per year. This presents a serious long-term problem as the state is expected to see its 65-and-up population skyrocket by 2030.
As the senior population grows, demand for long-term care will increase by 56 percent over the next 20 years, meaning the state will need an estimated 35,000 more home-care workers, according to the report.
Assuming the annual turnover rate continues, nearly 440,000 total home-care workers will need to be trained in the next two decades to meet the demand. The financial burden to the state would be as devastating as it is preventable.
Increased utilization of home- and community-based alternatives to service Washington’s long-term-care needs from 1996 to present has saved more than $3.34 billion. But over the past several years, the Legislature has targeted the long-term-care system for budget cuts, slashing more than 14 percent of home-care hours for vulnerable clients, eliminating quality training standards, and sending even more home-care workers into poverty.
The majority of workers leaving home care say they want a job that has career-advancement and skill-development opportunities. Increased training standards required under voter-approved Initiative 1163 are a step in the right direction.
National campaigns like Care Across Generations are working to ensure the baby-boomer generation receives the quality care it needs. This coalition of senior, disability rights, faith and community groups is uniting across the country to engage leaders in this effort, including a recent event at the Greenwood Senior Center, where more than 200 people attended to support the cause.
Still, we are all stuck with the reality that we are woefully unprepared for the projected increases in the senior population and demand for long-term-care services.
According to the report, “the level of poverty among Washington’s home-care worker households is 6.6 percent higher than the national average and 9.1 percent higher than the statewide average.” This isn’t a recipe for meeting the future workforce demand and ensuring quality care.
The Times has pointed to the need to adopt long-term reforms even as the Legislature focuses on the current budget deficit. Few long-term challenges are more pressing than the growing senior population and the demand it will place on long-term-care services.
One common-sense reform would be to take steps to lessen turnover among home-care providers — reducing costs now and in the long-term, and creating a stable and professional workforce.
David Rolf is president of SEIU Healthcare 775NW, which represents 40,000 home-care and nursing-home workers in Washington.
“Why They Leave; Turnover Among Washington’s Home Care Workers,” with academic contributions from University of Washington professors Amy Hagopian and Dan Jacoby, is at http://seiu775.org/files/2012/02/Why-They-Leave-Report1.pdf