Stronger Together: The SEIU 775 Fall Newsletter

Use Your Power: Vote in this Election

This is an incredibly important election. We NEED to elect people who support caregivers and will do the right thing for us – and un-elect those who don’t! The future of caregivers’ lives, our families’ lives, and our clients’ lives is dependent on the outcome of this election. We cannot afford to be silent.

If you want to continue to improve your life and the lives of your clients, VOTE. If you want to help caregivers around this country get out of poverty wage jobs, VOTE. If you want to breathe clean air and drink clean water, VOTE. If you have a vision of going forward, and not have what we have already won taken away, VOTE!!!! 

We may have differing political views. But the one thing that we can all agree on is that caregivers need better. We DESERVE better. So many of us are struggling just to make ends meet and that’s not right. Also, many caregivers live in areas where temperatures are getting hotter, the rivers are getting warmer, and the hurricanes are more severe, and we are not equipped to deal with the weather changes. Electing pro-worker candidates helps us get closer to getting the compensation, respect, and protections that caregivers and all workers should get.

Caregivers worked together to endorse candidates in Washington State by asking tough questions to ensure that if elected, they would be on our side, fighting with us and not against us. You can view our endorsement list at https://seiu775.org/2024endorsements/

So please get out to the ballots and vote by November 5, and encourage your friends, family, and other workers to do the same!

– Susie Y. (she/her), AP, Spokane, WA

P.S. In addition to the three bad initiatives put on the ballot by one multi-millionaire (I-2124, I-2109, and I-2117 – remember to VOTE NO on all three), another one has been added – Initiative 2066. Protect our communities and keep energy costs in check by voting NO on Initiative 2066.

To Michigan and Beyond: My Deployment Experience

When I started caregiving, I didn’t realize caregiving was a job. I was just helping my mother-in-law. But since joining our union, it’s gotten me fired up! Because we deserve to live a good life, especially since caregivers give so much to our clients.

Even though we still have a long way to go, we have some of the best wages and benefits for caregivers in the country, and I believe all workers deserve this. So whenever I get the chance to go on deployments to talk to other caregivers about what we can do together, I take it! I’ve gone to Alaska, Montana, Nevada, and Michigan. I actually just got back from Michigan last month, where we were helping home care workers fight for their right to unionize!

As I’ve been door knocking and talking to caregivers about how having a union can change their lives, they want to know more! Most of the caregivers that I’ve talked to are family caregivers, taking care of their sibling, parent, or child. There’s a major caregiver shortage because no one wants to be a caregiver. Caregivers in Michigan don’t get the pay and benefits to make being a caregiving a good job.

Speaking to caregivers and workers from other states on these deployments, I know I’m doing something that’s important.

On another deployment, I was door knocking and the lady that opened the door was 94 years old – I thought she was the client! But she told me that she is a caregiver for her daughter who’s in her 70s, which was really surprising and heartbreaking. That 94-yr old mom is still taking care of her daughter, when she herself needs a caregiver! Meeting people like this woman is a reminder about why we need to continue coming together and building our power. Because no caregiver should have to work in their 90s.

If you want to help caregivers and workers in other states improve their lives, reach out to your organizer!

– Shazia A. (she/her), IP and AP, Kent, WA