Month: February 2020

Many legislators are hosting town hall meetings in the next couple of weeks. Meet your lawmakers and talk to them about how they can support caregivers!

Legislative District 1

  • Bothell: February 22 | 3:00-5:00pm
    • Cascadia Community College, Mobius Hall: 18345 Campus Way NE
    • Rep. Duerr and Rep. Kloba

Legislative District 3

  • Spokane: February 22 | TIME TBD
    • Women’s Club Spokane: 1428 W 9th Ave
    • Rep. Ricelli and Rep. Ormsby

Legislative District 5

  • Issaquah: February 22 | 1:30-2:30pm
    • Blakely Hall at Issaquah Highlands: 2550 NE Park Drive
    • Rep. Ramos, Rep. Callan, and Sen. Mullet
  • North Bend: February 22 | 11:30am-12:30pm
    • North Bend City Hall: 920 Se Cedar Falls Way
    • Rep. Ramos, Rep. Callan, and Sen. Mullet
  • Maple Valley: February 22 | 9:30-10:30am
    • Tahoma High School Performing Arts Center: 23499 SE Tahoma Way
    • Rep. Ramos, Rep. Callan, and Sen. Mullet

Legislative District 10

  • Oak Harbor: February 22 | 1:30-2:30pm
    • Oak Harbor High School, SUB: 1 Wildcat Way
    • Rep. Paul, Rep. Smith, and Sen. Muzzall
  • Mt. Vernon: February 22 | 10:00-11:00am
    • Mt Vernon WSU Extension Center: 16650 State Route 536
    • Rep. Paul, Rep. Smith, and Sen. Muzzall

Legislative District 11

  • Renton: February 22 | 1:00-3:00pm
    • Refuel Cafe: 401 Olympia Ave NE
    • Rep. Bergquist and Rep. Hudgins
  • Seattle: February 22 | 10:00am-12:00pm
    • All City Coffee: 205 S Vale Street
    • Rep. Bergquist and Rep. Hudgins
  • Tukwila: February 22 | 10:00am-12:00pm
    • Teamsters Hall, Room 303: 14675 Interurban Ave S
    • Sen. Hasegawa and Rep. Hudgins

Legislative District 17

  • Vancouver: February 22 | 10:30am-12:00pm
    • Washington State University, Dengerink Administration Building: 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave
    • Rep. Kraft

Legislative District 21

  • Everett: February 22 | 10:00am-12:00pm
    • Mariner High School Commons: 200-120th St SW
    • Rep. Peterson, Rep. Ortiz-Self, and Sen. Liias

Legislative District 22

  • Lacey: February 26 | 6:30-8:00pm
    • Twin Star Community Foundation Event Center at SPSCC Lacey Campus: 4220 6th Ave SE
    • Rep. Doglio, Rep. Dolan, and Sen. Hunt

Legislative District 27

  • Tacoma: February 22 | 10:00am-12:00pm
    • Eastside Community Center: 1721 E 56th Street
    • Rep. Jinkins, Rep. Fey, and Sen. Darnielle

Legislative District 28

  • University Place: February 22 | 1:30-3:30pm
    • Civic Building Gallery: 3609 Market Place West
    • Rep. Leavitt and Rep. Kilduff

Legislative District 29

  • TBD: February 22 | 10:00am-12:00pm
    • Location TBD
    • Sen. Conway

Legislative District 30

  • Pacific: February 22 |10:00am-12:00pm
    • Alpac Elementary School Gym: 310 Milwaukee Blvd N
    • Rep. Pellicciotti and Rep. Johnson
  • Algona: February 22 |TIME TBD
    • Algona Elementary School
    • Sen. Wilson

Legislative District 34

  • Burien: February 23 | 3:00-4:30pm
    • Elliot Bay Brewery: 255 SW 152nd St
    • Sen. Nguyen

Legislative District 36

  • Seattle: February 22 | 2:00-4:00pm
    • Laguintas Taproom: 1550 NW 49th Street
    • Rep. Frame, Rep. Tarleton, and Sen. Carlyle

Legislative District 37

  • Seattle: February 29 | 12:00-2:00pm
    • New Holly Gathering Hall: 7054 32nd Ave S
    • Sen. Saldaña

Legislative District 40

  • Bellingham: February 22 | 1:30-2:30pm
    • Fairhaven Library Fireplace Room: 1117 12th St
    • Rep. Lekanoff
  • Mt. Vernon: February 22 | 10:30-11:30am
    • Skagit Valley College Multi Purpose Room: 2405 E College Way
    • Rep. Lekanoff
  • Anacortes: February 29 | 10:30am-12:30pm
    • Anacortes Educational Service District, Reid Harbor Room: 1601 R Ave
    • Sen. Lovelett

Legislative District 41

  • Bellevue: February 22 | 10:00-11:30am
    • Bellevue College, Room N201: 300 Landerholm Circle SE
    • Rep. Senn, Rep. Thai, and Sen. Wellman

Legislative District 42

  • Bellingham: February 22 | 1:00-3:30pm
    • Whatcom Community College, Heiner Theatre: 237 W Kellogg Road
    • Rep. Shewmake

Legislative District 43

  • Seattle: February 22 | 1:30-3:00pm
    • Seattle First Baptist: 1111 Harvard Ave
    • Rep. Chopp, Rep. Marci, and Sen. Pedersen

Legislative District 44

  • Lake Stevens: February 22 | 9:30am
    • Lake Stevens Sr Center: 2302 Soper Hill Road
    • Rep. Lovick, Rep. Mead, and Sen. Hobbs

Legislative District 45

  • Kirkland: February 22 | 11:00am-1:00pm
    • Lake Washington Institute of Technology, West Building, Room 404: 11605 132nd Ave NE
    • Rep. Goodman, Rep. Springer, and Sen. Dhingra

Legislative District 47

  • Auburn: February 23 | 1:00-3:00pm
    • Cascade Hall: 12401 SE 320th Street
    • Sen. Das

Legislative District 48

  • Redmond: February 22 | 10:30am-12:00pm
    • Redmond City Hall: 15670 NE 85th Street
    • Rep. Slatter, Sen. Walen, and Sen. Kuderer

SEIU 775 President Sterling Harders: “Caregiving is work typically done by women, who work alone in someone’s home. They have no process or place to report or respond when they feel they are at danger at work. These bills will make the care environment safer for both caregivers and the people they care for by creating safety, prevention, and reporting standards. Everyone deserves to feel safe while giving and receiving care.”

OLYMPIA, WA – Today, House Bill 2681 – a bill that addresses the harassment, abuse, and discrimination of caregivers – was successfully voted out of the Washington state House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee. It joins companion bill Senate Bill 6205, which was voted out of the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee yesterday, in moving to the respective Ways and Means Committees for the next vote.

Caregivers testified in support of both these bills on Jan. 28 before the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee and on Jan. 15 before the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee, urging the legislature to pass these powerful and comprehensive policies that ensure everyone can feel safe while giving and receiving care.

Caregivers shared their experiences with incidents of harassment, abuse, and discrimination – which can come from anyone in the care environment, including other people residing in or visiting their client’s home, friends, family, or neighbors. The impact is more than an immediate reaction. It affects caregivers’ health, wellbeing, and quality of care. Additionally, it leads to increased turnover among direct care workers, which can lower quality of care for clients.

Historically, caregivers – the majority of whom are low-income and women of color – have been excluded from basic workplace protection standards. But in this moment in this country, people, especially women, are stepping up and demanding a safer work environment. Caregiving is no different.

“Caregiving is work typically done by women, who work alone in someone’s home. They have no process or place to report or respond when they feel they are at danger at work,” said SEIU 775 President Sterling Harders. “These bills will make the care environment safer for both caregivers and the people they care for by creating safety, prevention, and reporting standards. Everyone deserves to feel safe while giving and receiving care.”

Senate Bill 6205 is sponsored in the Washington state Senate by Andy Billig, 3rd District, Spokane; Annette Cleveland, 49th District, Vancouver; Steve Conway, 29th District, Tacoma; Manka Dhingra, 45th District, Redmond; David Frockt, 46th District, Seattle, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park; Karen Keiser, 33rd District, Des Moines; Mark Mullet, 5th District, Issaquah; Emily Randall, 26th District, Bremerton; Rebecca Saldaña, 37th District, Seattle; Kevin Van De Wege, 24th District, Sequim.

House Bill 2681 is sponsored in the Washington state House of Representatives by Mike Chapman, 24th District; Eileen Cody, 34th District; Lauren Davis, 32nd District; Carolyn Eslick, 39th District; Noel Frame, 36th District; Roger Goodman, 45th District; Mia Gregerson, 33rd District; Paul Harris, 17th District; Christine Kilduff, 28th District; John Lovick, 44th District; Nicole Macri, 43rd District; Timm Ormsby, 3rd District; Lillian Ortiz-Self, 21st District; Tina Orwall, 33rd District; Gerry Pollet, 46th District; Marcus Riccelli, 3rd District; June Robinson, 38th District; Mike Sells, 38th District; Sharon Shewmake, 42nd District; Monica Jurado Stonier, 49th District; Gael Tarleton, 36th District; My-Linh Thai, 41st District; Steve Tharinger, 24th District; Javier Valdez, 46th District; and Amy Walen, 48th District.

More information on SEIU 775’s campaign to address harassment, abuse, and discrimination (HADit) is available at seiu775.org/HADit. 

 

An SEIU 775 staff member will call you in the next few days to discuss details and next steps! If you don’t hear back, please call the Member Resource Center at 1.866.371.3200 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.