Parry, 93, worked for more than seven decades to promote the well-being of low-wage workers, seniors and people with disabilities.

“Will was a champion of homecare workers before there even was a union in Washington,” SEIU 775 Secretary-Treasurer Adam Glickman said. “His enormous contribution to the lives of others will be sorely missed.”

In 2001, Parry, then 81, was instrumental in the passage of I-775, the initiative that gave homecare workers the ability to form a union.

“Will was a warrior for working people for more than seven decades. His leadership, compassion and deep commitment to economic
and social justice was an inspiration to several generations of labor union and progressive activists in the Puget Sound region. He was a highly skilled journalist whose passionate and entertaining writing reached across the country. In recent years he was not only a fierce voice for justice for working people but also became deeply concerned with the threat to our planet posed by the fossil fuel industry. He was an emotional and intellectual leader of PSARA and will be deeply missed,” PSARA President Robby Stern said.

A memorial is planned for June 29. Details are forthcoming.

On Tuesday, Reps. Cathy McMorris Rogers and Jaime Herrera-Beutler received their cards and a visit from members of “Caring Across Generations.” A Spokane home-care worker, Valerie Anderson-Webb, said she spoke with McMorris Rogers a few years ago about the congresswoman’s concerns about providing workers a path to citizenship.

“Now, we are appealing to her as a mother that has children,” she said. “Four years ago, she wasn’t there. I think now, she’s at least thinking about it.”

The Mother’s Day cards urge members of Congress to remember other moms in the state, and to ensure that the legalization process is fair to women, family members and low-wage workers. Cards are also being delivered this week to Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.

Anderson-Webb said she doesn’t see immigrants competing for current citizens’ jobs. Instead, she said, there’s a caregiving shortage that’s expected to worsen as the population ages. She said many immigrants already provide home-care services for Washingtonians with disabilities and the elderly.

“I believe that everyone’s created equal,” she said. “I really don’t think that they’re ‘illegal’ – because a lot of these people are contributing to society; they’re paying taxes as well as us. And there’s not enough caregivers to go around.”

Anderson-Webb said that in her union, SEIU Healthcare 775 Northwest, members speak 50 different languages. Among their priorities are living wages and creating a career ladder that allows home-care workers to train and transition into careers such as nursing and social work.

Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/32242-1

Across the world on May 1, workers celebrated International Worker’s Day. Commemorating a Chicago strike in 1886, for an 8-hour work day, May 1st has come to represent a day of celebration for many, where workers participate in parades, festivals, and rallies.

Thousands rallied in Seattle on May Day to demand better protections for workers around the world and for comprehensive immigration reform.

International Worker’s Day 2013 takes on additional special meaning this year, as the drumbeat for immigration reform gets louder and louder.

SEIU locals and allies throughout the country are taking to the streets! Add your voice to the conversation on Twitter using hash tag #TimeIsNow.

The most recent graduates of the MCOI program

Mobilization Canvass Organizing Internship (MCOI) Job Description

SEIU Healthcare 775NW, Washington and Montana’s long-term care union, is recruiting for our two-month, paid member leader intern program.

Apply today!

DESCRIPTION

SEIU Healthcare 775NW represents 43,000 home care and nursing home workers in Washington state and Montana and is the region’s fastest growing union.  Interns participate in an eight-week campaign, in selected areas of Washington State, to help us engage even more caregivers in our campaigns to ensure quality long-term care programs, to bring caregivers out of poverty and to hold politicians accountable.

The next internship will be held May 22 – July 16.  We are accepting applications from everywhere in Washington State. Initial training will be held in SEIU Healthcare 775NW’s Seattle office, 215 Columbia St.; interns will then return home, and work in their own county.  The deadline for applications is May 13.

GOALS

Mobilize members to become involved in union activities.

• Encourage caregivers to advocate for health care for all.
• Expand membership in our Political Accountability Fund so that a majority of union members are working to hold politicians accountable.
• Increase membership participation in our union.
• Register new voters.
• Develop leadership skills.

These are paid internships are for a specific period of time; they are not permanent jobs with SEIU Healthcare 775NW. Interns will be supervised and developed by Javier Cruz, team manager of the internship program.

Interns commit to continuing their leadership skill development and building our union in their community once they return to their caregiver job.

DUTIES

• You’ll attend our Boot Camp Training at the beginning of your MCOI internship.
• You’ll help build political power for caregivers and clients by increasing membership in our union’s Political Accountability Fund.
• You’ll participate in regular trainings/briefings.
• You’ll invite caregivers, who have not done so, to unite with us by signing a membership card and getting involved!
• You’ll help mobilize members to support our union’s agenda through house visits and phone banks.
• You’ll identify potential activists and leaders from the caregivers you meet during house visits.

REQUIREMENTS

• You must be currently working as a caregiver.
• Valid driver’s license/current insurance/use of a reliable, working vehicle.
• Personal commitment to the mission and goals of SEIU and to the specific programs of SEIU Healthcare 775NW.
• Ability to follow directions from the campaign lead.
• Willingness to travel within assigned territory.
• Flexible hours and weekend work.
• Fluency in a second language is also highly desirable.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Click here to fill out the online application.

As a leadership development opportunity, SEIU Healthcare 775NW members are not applying for permanent employment. Women and persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply for internships.

COMPENSATION

You’ll be compensated with the salary equivalent of wages lost or the salary equivalent of a 40-hour week, whichever is more.  You’ll also receive: a $100 gas card and reimbursement for 80 percent of your gas receipts, after you use up the gas card; a prorated car allowance of $400/month; reimbursement of up to $25/week of cell phone use or we will provide a cell phone; and health, dental and vision health care benefits will be provided if you will not have health insurance during your internship.

Frequently Asked Questions about MCOI

Do I need a car?

Yes. You cannot participate in the program if you do not have a reliable, working car, a valid drivers license and current auto insurance.

Will I get paid?

Yes.  You will be paid your regular wage for your eight-week internship.

Will meals be provided?

Generally not, though we will have lunch and coffee during the MCOI Boot Camp Training, and other all day in-office trainings. You will eat lunch and take breaks during the day.

What about my client and homecare duties?

It is your responsibility to find coverage and respite care for your client during the times you will be a MCOI intern.  We encourage you to consider having your client contract with home care agencies whose workers are in our union.  We can provide a list for you.

What do I do as a MCOI intern?

You’ll participate in regular trainings and one-on-one work with your team lead and experienced interns.  With this training, you’ll learn to effectively engage these caregivers in conversations so they understand the connection between what they dream about seeing changed in their lives and how they can win those changes through involvement in our union.

For house visits, you’ll be provided with a list and material that will allow you to locate their homes easily.  You will share your story and listen to members’ stories, encourage them to get involved and to join our Political Accountability Fund.  You’ll also do this at agency check pickups and shift changes.

Apply today!

“There now is clear bi-partisan support in both chambers of the Washington legislature to lift home care aides out of poverty by funding the home care contract with parity. If passed, the modest pay raise – just $0.50/hour per year – would be the first for Washington’s 43,000 home care aides since 2008,” said SEIU Healthcare 775NW Secretary-Treasurer Adam Glickman. “We applaud the House Democrats for making long-term services and supports a priority; for funding services for our most vulnerable over tax loopholes; and for their support for expanding Medicaid which will provide quality health coverage to more than 250,000 currently uninsured Washingtonians.

“We thank the House Democrats for rejecting a proposed cut to home care hours. We will strongly oppose cuts to home care services in any budget.

“We now encourage the legislature and the governor to adopt a final budget that funds the home care contract, expands Medicaid, and raises enough revenue by closing tax loopholes to avoid further cuts to the most vulnerable.”

Home care workers appear to be slipping deeper into poverty, according to a recent survey by a non-profit agency that provides home care services. More than half of home care workers now rely on public food assistance, either food stamps or community food banks, the survey found. The survey also showed an increase in the number of home care workers who are the sole wage earner for their families.

The proposed Senate budget – like the Governor’s – take a modest first step towards lifting caregivers out of poverty, with a $1/hour raise over two years. But the proposal also calls for further cuts to hours of care for home care clients, on top of repeated cuts to home care services over the last four years.

“We provide essentials supports and services to people’s grandparents, brothers, sisters and friends, yet we teeter on the brink of poverty,” said Cynthia Vaughn, a Seattle worker with the Korean Women’s Association and a member of SEIU Healthcare 775NW, the state’s homecare workers’ union. “None of us have had pay raises since 2008. It’s time for the Legislature to invest in seniors and people with disabilities and prevent further cuts to our hours and services.”

Dozens of home care workers and home care agency managers from around the state met with lawmakers Thursday to urge them to support their work by including home care funding in their budget proposals.

About 10,000 home care aides in Washington work for agencies, including Catholic Community Services, Korean Women’s Association, ResCare, Inc., Addus HealthCare Health, CDM Serivces and others. SEIU 775’s 43,000 members provide critical long-term care services to Washington’s most vulnerable residents including about 52,000 seniors and people with disabilities.

Take action today – Click here

“On behalf of our 43,000 members and the more than 50,000 seniors and people with disabilities for whom our members provide daily supports and services, we applaud the Senate budget writers for funding the home care contract and helping homecare aides take a modest step out of poverty,” said SEIU 775 Secretary Treasurer Adam Glickman. “We also appreciate their support for expanding Medicaid – there is now a clear bi-partisan consensus for expanding access to affordable healthcare through the ACA and helping home care workers take a step out of poverty.

“We are very disappointed, however, that the Senate budget proposes further deep cuts to hours of home care services to vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities. These cuts – on top of repeated reductions over the last four years – will put the quality of care for our most vulnerable at risk.

“We encourage the legislature to adopt a final budget that funds the home care contract, expands Medicaid, and raises enough revenue through closing tax loopholes to avoid further cuts to the most vulnerable.”

OLYMPIA (March 28, 2013) – SEIU Healthcare 775NW today issued the following statement in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget proposal for the 2013 – 2015 biennium:

“On behalf of our 43,000 members and the more than 50,000 seniors and people with disabilities for whom our members provide daily supports and services, we applaud Gov. Inslee for preparing a budget that helps homecare aides take a modest step out of poverty and rejects additional cuts to long-term services and supports,” said SEIU 775 Secretary Treasurer Adam Glickman. “The Governor is showing leadership by balancing funding for education and social services, closing tax loopholes and fulfilling his promise of creating a jobs-rich economy in Washington.

“We hope that the Legislature will use the Governor’s plan as a guidepost towards a state budget that takes a modest initial step to lift tens of thousands of home care aides out of poverty.”

Take action now! Contact your legislators and urge them to adopt this budget.

http://775nw.seiu.org/page/speakout/insleebudget

Nursing home workers from across the state visited their legislators to urge them to approve Medicaid expansion to provide quality, affordable healthcare for all nursing home and long-term care workers. Many nursing home workers struggle to afford quality, affordable health coverage. The Legislature should adopt Medicaid Expansion to provide coverage to long-term care workers and our families. The program will include an influx of federal dollars that will result in the state saving $225 million in the current biennium. Plus, the program will create 10,000 new jobs in our state.