Author: Elana

Bellingham

  • Address: Viking Union – Room 565 A&B, 516 High St, Bellingham, WA 98225
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Bremerton

  • Address: 3721 Kitsap Way, Ste #5 Bremerton, WA 98312
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Everett

  • Address: 1721 Hewitt Ave #507, Everett, WA 90201
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Kennewick

  • Address: 7525 West Deschutes Pl, Ste 2A, Kennewick, WA 99336
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Moses Lake

  • Address: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Moses Lake, 2300 Maiers Rd, Moses Lake, WA 98837
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Olympia

  • Address: 906 Columbia Street SW, Ste 203, Olympia WA 98501
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Pullman

  • Address: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pullman Salon B, 1190 SE Bishop Blvd, Pullman, WA 99163
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Seattle (North) – UPDATED 9/21/22

  • Address: Fairfield Inn & Suites Seattle Bellevue & Redmond, 14595 NE 29th Pl, Bellevue, WA 98007
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-5:30pm

Seattle (South)

  • Address: New Holly Gathering Hall, 7054 32nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 10 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Sequim

  • Address: Quality Inn & Suites at Olympic National Park, 134 River Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 12:30-2:30 pm, 3:30-6 p.m.

Spokane

  • Address: 1402 N. Division St. Spokane, WA 99207
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Tacoma

  • Address: 15 Oregon Ave., Ste 205 & 206 Tacoma, WA 98409
  • Date: Wednesday, September 28
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Vancouver

  • Address: 1801 D St., Ste 10, Vancouver, WA 98663
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Yakima

  • Address: 3703 River Road, Suite 6, Yakima, WA 98902
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-4 p.m., 5-6:30 p.m.

Wenatchee

  • Address: Holiday Inn Express Wenatchee, an IHG Hotel, 1921 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801
  • Date: Tuesday, September 27
  • Times: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 2:30-5 p.m., 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Episode 1:  From fear to love:  An evangelical Christian and a Muslim home care worker

This episode illuminates the relationship between Shazia Anwar, a professional home care worker in Washington state, and the woman she cares for, Darlen Wagenius.  In addition to Shazia and Darlen, the episode features Adam Glickman, SEIU 775 Secretary-Treasurer.

Episode 2:  Making a difference: From care work to home care activism

This episode explores how Shazia Anwar helps Darlen Wagenius and her husband, Joe, address challenges in accessing quality long term care services. Shazia talks about her work as a home care activist with SEIU775.  And we look at an innovative policy in Washington state and policy efforts at the national level.  Guests include:  Shazia Anwar, Professional Home Care provider; Darlen Wagenius, who Shazia cares for; Dr. Ben Veghte, Director of WA Cares in Washington state; Sterling Harders, President of SEIU775; and U.S. Senator Bob Casey.

Listen to Episodes 1 and 2 of The Shape of Care podcast on Apple Podcasts here.

On June 30, SEIU 775 held our second annual #CareIsEssential celebration of Alaska caregivers in Anchorage.

Caregivers – also known as Personal Care Attendants, who care for seniors and people with disabilities – as well as their family members and clients were all in attendance. Speakers included local caregivers, Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Representative Liz Snyder, and SEIU 775 President Sterling Harders.

SEIU 775
2022 Leadership Conference

September 29 – 30, 2022
Arch (formerly the Conference Center) at the Seattle Convention Center
800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

A two-day event including speakers, workshops, reception, and banquet

After two years of online and smaller events, we are bringing our annual SEIU 775 Leadership Conference back to the Seattle Convention Center!

You are invited to celebrate our wins over the past couple of years and plan our vision for the next 10 years. Registration for this event is capped and is first-come, first-served, and may require additional confirmations from registrants as we near the conference date.

If you aren’t able to join us in person this year, portions of the event will be made available on video for all members after the event.

COVID policy (Updated August 23, 2022): SEIU 775 takes your health and safety seriously and will be requiring all members, staff, guests, and attendees of our 2022 Leadership Conference to provide a negative COVID test result prior to boarding the bus or participating in any Leadership Conference activities. You can take a COVID test at one of our Union testing facilities to receive your bus ticket. If you are unable to go to a test site, please complete a rapid antigen home test within 24 hours prior to arrival (no later than Wednesday, 9/28), and bring a timestamped photo of your negative result to your bus stop location. Self-drivers will be tested prior to entrance into our Leadership Conference.

We are looking forward to coming together to celebrate, dig into the issues that most impact us, and gear up for the fights ahead. As always, we are stronger together! 

2022 Leadership Conference

2022 年 9 月 29 日至 30 日

Arch 大楼（原 Conference Center），Seattle Convention Center

800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

为期两天的活动，包括演讲、研讨会、接待和宴会

经过两年的线上和小型活动，我们将回到 Seattle Convention Center 举办 SEIU 775 年度 Leadership Conference！

我们诚邀您一同庆祝我们在过去几年中取得的成就，并规划我们未来 10 年的愿景。要报名参与 Leadership Conference，请致电 1-866-371-3200 联系 Member Resource Center（成员资源中心）。本次活动报名名额有限，先到先得，在临近会期时可能需要报名者进行额外的确认。

如果您今年不能亲自到场参加这场活动，活动结束后，部分内容将以视频形式提供给所有成员。

COVID 政策：我们将要求参加 Leadership Conference 的人员进行快速检测，检测结果应为阴性，并鼓励在会议期间佩戴口罩。这些政策可能会有所变更，我们将在临近会期时提供定期更新。

我期待与各位共聚一堂，共同庆祝，一起讨论对我们影响最大的问题，并为未来的斗争做好准备。如往常一样，我们坚信团结就是力量！ 

2022 리더십 컨퍼런스

2022년 9월 29~30일

시애틀 컨벤션 센터의 Arch(구 컨퍼런스 센터)

800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

연사, 워크숍, 리셉션 및 만찬으로 구성된 이틀간의 행사입니다

2년간 온라인 및 소규모 행사 끝에 연례 SEIU 775 리더십 컨퍼런스가 시애틀 컨벤션 센터에서 다시 열립니다!

지난 몇 년간 우리의 승리를 축하하고 향후 10년간 비전을 계획하기 위해 여러분을 초대합니다. 리더십 컨퍼런스에 등록하시려면 회원 콜 센터(MRC) 1-866-371-3200으로 전화하십시오. 이 이벤트의 등록은 선착순이며 컨퍼런스 날짜가 가까워짐에 따라 등록자의 추가 확인이 필요할 수 있습니다.

올해 직접 참여하실 수 없는 경우를 위해 행사가 끝나면 일부 행사를 모든 회원에게 비디오로 제공할 예정입니다.

COVID 정책: 리더십 컨퍼런스의 참석자들은 참석하기 위해 신속 항원 검사를 받고 음성 검사 결과가 있어야 하며 행사 기간 동안 마스크를 착용하도록 권장됩니다. 이러한 정책은 변경될 수 있습니다. 행사가 가까워지면 정기적으로 업데이트를 제공할 것입니다.

서로 축하하고, 우리에게 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 사안에 대해 논의하고, 향후 투쟁을 준비하기 위해 함께 하기를 고대하고 있습니다. 우리는 함께일 때 더 강합니다!

Конференция лидеров Leadership Conference 2022 года

29–30 сентября 2022 г.

Arch (бывший Conference Center) в Seattle Convention Center

800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Двухдневное мероприятие, включающее выступления докладчиков, семинары, прием и банкет.

После двух лет менее масштабных мероприятий и мероприятий, проводившихся онлайн, мы снова собираемся на ежегодной конференции лидеров SEIU 775 Leadership Conference в Seattle Convention Center!

Мы приглашаем вас отпраздновать наши победы, достигнутые за последние два года, и составить стратегический план на следующие 10 лет. Чтобы зарегистрироваться для участия в конференции, позвоните в Member Resource Center (Справочную службу профсоюза) по номеру 1-866-371-3200. Регистрация на это мероприятие ограничена, осуществляется по принципу живой очереди и может потребовать дополнительного подтверждения от зарегистрировавшихся участников ближе к дате проведения конференции.

Если в этом году вы не сможете присоединиться к нам лично, то после мероприятия всем участникам станет доступна частичная видеозапись конференции.

Правила в связи с COVID Для входа на конференцию лидеров посетители будут обязаны сдать экспресс-тест с отрицательным результатом, а также им рекомендуется носить маску на протяжении всего мероприятия. Эти правила могут быть изменены — мы будем регулярно сообщать об изменениях по мере приближения даты мероприятия.

Я с нетерпением жду возможности собраться вместе, чтобы приятно провести время, обсудить самые насущные вопросы и подготовиться к новой борьбе. Вместе мы становимся сильнее! 

Conferencia de Liderazgo de 2022

Del 29 al 30 de septiembre del 2022

En el Centro de Convenciones de Seattle, Arch (antiguo Conference Center)

800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Un evento de dos días que incluye ponentes, talleres, una recepción y un banquete

¡Después de dos años de eventos en línea y de encuentros en grupos más pequeños, volvemos a traer nuestra  Conferencia anual de Liderazgo del SEIU 775 al Centro de Convenciones de Seattle!  

Estas invitado a celebrar nuestras victorias de los últimos dos años y a planificarr nuestra visión para los próximos 10 años. Para inscribirse en nuestra Conferencia de Liderazgo , llame al Centro de Recursos al 1-866-371-3200. La inscripción para este evento tiene un limite l y se realiza por el orden de inscripción, y puederequerirconfirmaciones adicionales por parte de los inscritos  acercamos  a  la fecha de la conferencia.

Si este año no puede unirse a nosotros en persona, después del evento, pondremos videos de fragmentos de el evento a disposición de todos los miembros.

Política relativa al COVID: los asistentes a la Conferencia de Liderazgo Tendrán que hacerse una prueba de detección rápida, o presentar una prueba de detección negativa para poder asistir, además se les recomienda que usen una mascarilla durante el evento. Estas políticas pueden cambiar; proporcionaremos actualizaciones regulares  a medida que nos acerquemos  al evento.

Espero que nos reunamos para celebrar, profundizar en los problemas que nos afectan más, y prepararnos para las luchas que tenemos por delante. Como siempre, ¡juntos somos más fuertes! 

Leadership Conference 2022

Ngày 29 – 30 tháng 9 năm 2022

Arch (trước đây là Trung Tâm Hội Nghị) tại Trung Tâm Hội Nghị Seattle

800 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Sự kiện 2 ngày này bao gồm diễn thuyết, hội thảo, tiếp đón và tiệc chiêu đãi

Sau 2 năm tổ chức các sự kiện nhỏ trên mạng, chúng tôi sẽ tổ chức lại sự kiện Leadership Conference thường niên của SEIU 775 tại Trung Tâm Hội Nghị Seattle!

Xin trân trọng mời bạn tham gia để tôn vinh những thành tích mà chúng ta đã đạt được trong một vài năm qua và hoạch định tầm nhìn cho 10 năm tới. Để đăng ký tham gia Leadership Conference, hãy gọi điện đến Trung Tâm Nguồn Lực Thành Viên theo số 1-866-371-3200. Số lượng đăng ký có hạn và chúng tôi ưu tiên người đăng ký sớm. Chúng tôi có thể yếu cầu người đăng ký xác nhận thêm khi gần đến ngày diễn ra hội nghị.

Nếu bạn không thể có mặt trực tiếp để tham gia cùng chúng tôi năm nay, thì chúng tôi sẽ cung cấp video ghi lại các hoạt động của sự kiện cho tất cả các thành viên sau khi sự kiện kết thúc.

Chính sách COVID: Những người tham dự Leadership Conference sẽ phải xét nghiệm nhanh hoặc có xét nghiệm âm tính để tham có thể tham dự. Chúng tôi khuyến khích mọi người nên đeo khẩu trang trong quá trình tham dự sự kiện. Các chính sách này có thể thay đổi. Chúng tôi sẽ thường xuyên cung cấp thông tin cập nhật khi gần tới sự kiện.

Tôi rất mong các bạn tham dự đông đủ để cùng nhau chia vui, thảo luận về các vấn đề ảnh hưởng nhiều  nhất đến chúng ta và chuẩn bị cho các cuộc đấu tranh phía trước. Như mọi khi, chúng ta lại cùng nhau lớn mạnh! 

“At the start of the pandemic, at-home caregivers in Washington state saw their wages go up with a boost from hazard pay. Two years later, inflation is erasing the pay bump.

Wages actually have gone up for caregivers from $19 per hour in May 2020 to $19.26 today, but inflation means the purchasing power of their pay now is actually $17.46.

Gwen Goodfellow, an at-home caregiver, said the increase was welcome at first.

‘Having the hazard pay was really nice. It made us feel more comfortable to do, like, grocery orders instead of going to the store and allow us to be a little bit more protective,’ Goodfellow acknowledged. ‘Then, as time went on, the cost of things went up, and it’s not a bonus at this point.’

Goodfellow’s union, Service Employees International Union Local 775, was instrumental in negotiating hazard pay for caregivers.”

To read the full story with SEIU 775 member Gwen Goodfellow, please visit Public News Service.

“North Cascades Health and Rehabilitation Center is no longer on lockdown, so visitors can come inside and see their loved ones. Residents having a hard night can stay in the nurses station and do arts and crafts. There’s weekly coronavirus testing, and workers only have to wear surgical masks.

But there is still a frantic energy in the building, said Shelly Hughes, a certified nursing assistant. She wonders: What if there’s another COVID-19 outbreak, like the brutal one they experienced this winter? With turnover so high, will there be enough staff for the week? What’s going to happen tomorrow?

“The level of frustration is high, in workers and residents,” Hughes said. “We feel like we are past the pandemic in a lot of ways, but we have this whole new crisis.”

Few environments in Washington witnessed the devastation of the pandemic quite as severely as the state’s 4,760 long-term care facilities.”

To read the full story with SEIU 775 member Shelly Hughes, please visit the Seattle Times.

“Since 1997, I’ve worked as an unpaid caregiver for my family members, and I understand the importance of caregiving on a very personal level.

25 years later, you would think our state’s caregiving industry would be in a better position, but it’s actually harder to find a caregiver since COVID-19. Why? Because many who have put their hearts and souls into this profession have come to the conclusion that the pay isn’t worth the risk, and there is no respect for a job that is at the very foundation of caring for Alaska’s most vulnerable populations. Even the most passionate caregivers can’t get around the fact that doing this work means not being able to financially support our own families.

Now is a critical time for the Senate to use federal infrastructure dollars to invest in home care, so we can be sure that caregivers get paid fairly and are trained properly. I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying that caregiving touches the majority of Alaskans. Why wouldn’t it be prudent to elevate this monumental issue to be included in our federal and state investment?

We need you to stand with us to support seniors, people with disabilities, and children, and to help create good, respectable jobs that pay a living wage and keep Alaskans home in their own communities.”

Read more from Katherine Bacon, a caregiver in Palmer, Alaska, in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.

Because of caregivers coming together and raising our voices through thousands of actions – sending emails, making calls, testifying, talking to lawmakers at a Purple Presence, and more – most legislators chose to stand by caregivers this legislative session, and we have so much to celebrate!

Here’s everything we fought for – and won – during the 2022 legislative session!

Time for $20

Home care: We won full funding for the updated IP contract with agency parity and continuing enhanced rates (hazard pay)!

This means home care workers will continue to receive higher wages through a combination of hazard pay and our bargained contract raises through the rest of our 2021-2023 contract, which expires in June 2023.

While we didn’t get everyone all the way to $20, we made huge progress. We secured funding to continue IPs starting wage of $19.26 (including hazard pay) and higher wages along each wage scale step. Workers at the top of the wage scale are now making more than $21.50 (not counting differentials). We still need to negotiate with the State but expect to be able to continue these wages through June 2023. We will continue to update caregivers as we negotiate an official updated pay rate for April 1 – June 30, and then for July 1, 2022, through June 2023.

We will then be working this year on bargaining our next IP contract, which will go into effect starting July 2023. In bargaining, we hope to win a starting wage of more than $20/hour and permanently increased wages for all caregivers to ensure that when hazard pay expires, no one gets a pay cut.

For APs, this means we’ll head back into impact bargaining with all our employers to negotiate the same hazard pay wins.

We’ll have more to share in the coming weeks, and you can learn more in the meantime here: seiu775.org/covidipbargaining

Nursing homes: We won full funding for nursing home workers to see up to $4/hour raise, with rate increases starting July 1, 2022!

We fought this legislative session to win $20 an hour for all long-term care workers, because we have been working on the frontlines of this pandemic, and we know that nursing homes were underfunded even before COVID.

Hundreds of nursing home workers around the state called and lobbied their representatives to tell them nursing home wages need to be funded, and they heard us. The funding for wage increases for nursing home workers will arrive this summer, which is when our bargaining teams will be negotiating new raises and wage scales.

Essential work deserves a living wage, and the funding for these wage increases will go a long way to solve our staffing crisis, bring workers back to our facilities, and allow us to provide for ourselves and our families.

WA Cares

WA Cares is critical for addressing our state’s looming age wave and the strain it will put on the State’s long-term care system. This budget funds outreach about improvements the legislature made to WA Cares, which includes increasing the number of people eligible for home care funds by over one million people!

Personal Needs Allowance

We passed SB 5745 and won funding to increase the in-home client personal needs allowance (PNA) from 100 percent of the federal poverty level to 300 percent of the federal benefit rate. This means our clients will have to pay less in co-pays and keep more money to use on their personal needs, including housing costs, utilities, food, and personal items. Almost 85% of the home care clients who currently have co-pays will no longer have to pay them, and the rest will see much reduced co-pays.

We also won:

  • Funding for community-based organizations to educate and provide resources to help people apply for the Working Families Tax Credit, a new benefit starting in 2023 that provides eligible individuals up to an additional $1,200 on their tax return.
  • Health care access regardless of immigration status: Funding to expand Apple Health for Washington residents regardless of immigration status, beginning in January 2024.
  • Permanent supportive housing to help prevent homelessness: Apple Health and Homes Program (Program) that will provide a permanent supportive housing benefit and a community support services benefit to persons who below a certain income, experience medical risk factors and face barriers to finding stable housing.
  • Affordable prescription drugs: A new prescription price transparency board was created, and a new law requires health plans, including health plans offered to public employees and their dependents, to cap the price for a 30-day supply of insulin at $35.
  • Increased affordable housing: Increased funding and several new laws expand the ability to allow local governments to build affordable housing across Washington.
  • Improvements to TANF: For families with children under three, the department will be able to provide an additional benefit to be used on diapers, and DSHS is able to provide transitional food assistance for five months to a household that ceases to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and is not in full family sanction status.

Tell your legislators: Thank you for supporting caregivers!

In a year when we couldn’t go to the Capitol or talk to our legislators in person, we still made sure they could hear us. We’re stronger together. Thank you for taking action!

“I’ve been a home care worker for 17 years and care for my mother. I am grateful that the proposed budget released by the state Senate includes funding for an extension of hazard pay for home care workers, but I’m alarmed that it has none to raise wages for nursing home workers.

Despite caring for our most vulnerable population, most nursing home workers haven’t seen any increased wages during the pandemic. Many are leaving their jobs because the pay is so low and the risk is so high. Without funding wage increases, our lawmakers are condemning workers to struggle and burnout and condemning residents to lower-quality care because there aren’t enough people willing to work these jobs.

I worked in a nursing home for one week, because in that week there was a COVID outbreak. Five residents were sick in the first three days, and it was still going around. I knew I had to leave because I couldn’t risk bringing that home to my mom. Most people I know working in nursing homes have gotten COVID from the job at least once — more often, several times. They are putting themselves and their families at risk every single day they go to work. Knowing that, how can we not include them?

I hope the state Legislature does the right thing and includes a rate increase to raise wages of front-line nursing home workers up to $4 an hour in the final budget. Long-term care workers deserve higher wages.”

Rhonda Parker, Bucoda

You can read the letter from SEIU 775 member Rhonda Parker in The Olympian here.

“I have worked in healthcare for almost 25 years: as a home care worker for the last 11 and as a CNA for 11 years before that. I take pride and joy in caring for others.

I am grateful that the proposed budget released by the state Senate includes funding for an extension of hazard pay for home care workers, but I’m alarmed that the House proposal to raise wages for nursing home workers isn’t included.

All long-term care workers, home care and nursing home workers alike, are putting our lives on the line caring for our most vulnerable population and deserve pay commensurate with our work. Most nursing home workers haven’t seen increased wages during the pandemic.

We are essential workers, but our wages and benefits do not reflect that. Inflation, COVID, a shortage of supplies, sickness, and exhaustion have contributed to already strained staffing. We are burned out and need support. I don’t blame folks for leaving caregiving when they can make more money without the health risks in other jobs.

It’s impossible to give everyone the care they need when you are understaffed. Unless we prioritize long-term care now, the future will only get bleaker as more Washingtonians age. The turnover rate for healthcare workers is bleak. Wage increases would change that.

I hope the legislature does the right thing and raises wages of frontline nursing home workers up to $4 an hour.”

Nando Haddad, Silverdale

You can read the letter from SEIU 775 member Nando Haddad in the Bainbridge Island review here.