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SEIU 775 Sisters, Brothers, Siblings,
I was recently in Spokane, Washington rallying with caregivers and our allies to call attention to the harm this administration’s attacks on immigrants are having on caregivers and those we care for. With me were Humphrey, a caregiver whose pregnant wife Cece was detained by ICE at a routine check-in, and Inna, a caregiver whose parents were both about to be cut off Medicaid.
On October 1, hundreds of elders and people with disabilities like Inna’s parents in Washington had their Medicaid long-term care services stolen from them because of cruel cuts to care directed at immigrants in Trump’s HR 1. These are our clients – refugees, asylees, victims of trafficking, Ukrainian humanitarian parolees, and others with humanitarian protection – people who fled war and violence and were welcomed to this country.
We knew it was going to be a hard fight to save our vulnerable clients and loved ones. We took action during the legislative session this year. Caregivers spoke with the Governor’s office asking them to use emergency funds to protect these individuals. Caregivers met with Senator Murray. Caregivers sat on a panel with Representative Pramila Jayapal. We did all of this and so much more to make sure our voice and the voice of our clients were heard when it came to just how horrific these cuts would be.
At the Rep. Jayapal panel, caregiver Liliana shared how her family was invited and welcomed with open arms to the U.S. when the war in Ukraine began. Now they’re being left behind by the country that welcomed them here with no other options or resources for care.
Stealing our healthcare will not make our country better but instead will cause real harm to seniors and people living with disabilities. We will not be fooled into scapegoating immigrants in our communities for the harm caused by greed of billionaires who profit excessively off workers. We will continue to fight against every attack – and we will vote out the people who passed these cuts in November. Then we will hold those we elect accountable to not just restoring the cuts but expanding access to care for everyone.
We will do all of this because when they come for one of us, they come for all of us!
In solidarity,
Sterling Harders
SEIU 775 President
Fighting for our first contract with All Ways Caring
“We’ve been bargaining with All Ways Caring (AWC) Montana for the contract we deserve for nearly a year. From the get-go, our employer’s high-priced lawyer has made it clear that they care more about profits than our clients and us caregivers. AWC continues to waste our time instead of negotiating fair wages and benefits.
And this isn’t just happening to us in Montana. Our union siblings in Alaska and California are also experiencing the same disrespect at the bargaining table. It is past time for AWC to stop dragging their feet and start respecting us. We deserve wages that reflect the hard work we do for our clients, loved ones, and communities.
The AWC CEO and his Beverly Hills lawyer think these tactics will make us give up. But we won’t give up. We are standing together in Montana and Alaska, and we are more united than ever.”
– Amy B., SEIU 775 caregiver and bargaining team member, Evergreen, MT
Caregivers know better than anyone how important it is to get care when we need it, which is why we fought for and won our nation’s first long-term care program, WA Cares. WA Cares benefits are available now!
You can learn here: wacaresfund.wa.gov
Finding common ground
“I’ve been a caregiver for more than 20 years. About two years ago, I started noticing how much our politicians impact our work – our wages, healthcare, and hours – and I didn’t want to be a bystander anymore. So, this summer, I joined our Member Political Organizer (MPO) team to get out the vote for the primary election.
At first, I was terrified. It takes a lot of bravery to knock on a stranger’s door and talk to them about politics, but I held my passion for my community close to my heart so I could face that fear.
After we received training, we set out to knock on doors. It was so rewarding to have honest conversations and help my Union siblings make informed voting decisions. When I knocked on someone’s door, we didn’t always agree, but we were always able to find common ground through our shared values as caregivers and as working people.
So many of us don’t know how powerful we are. I certainly didn’t. That’s why it’s important to shine a light on how powerful we each are. When things feel hopeless, there are always ways to stand together, and I’m grateful for our Union for showing me that.”
– Rachel B., SEIU 775 caregiver, Lakewood, WA
The midterm election is Tuesday, November 3. Get registered to vote today!
- Washington: vote.wa.gov
- Montana: votemt.gov
- Alaska: voterregistration.alaska.gov
SEIU 775 caregiver endorsements: Seiu775.org/2026endorsements
Winning our Union at Alpha Supported Living
“Until recently, caregivers at Alpha Supported Living had no union, no raises, no respect at work, and no voice in decisions our employer made about our work. Most of the workers at Alpha are immigrants, and we saw our coworkers get unfairly treated, and also terminated or punished for taking FMLA to care for family members in other countries. We were tired of the disrespect from management. We needed more protection and more power to win changes for ourselves and our families. And I knew the difference a union could make, because I am part of SEIU 775 in my other job at ResCare/Sevita. I knew that if Alpha workers came together to form a union with SEIU 775, we would make things better at Alpha too.
Every worker at Alpha, in one way or another, had been disrespected by management. We grew fed up and it was time to take a stand. So we started organizing our workplace to become part of SEIU 775.
After months of hard work, phone banking, and spreading the word, we finally had our union vote in June–and we won! It was so exciting. Even though Alpha hired union busters and tried to scare us from standing together, we did not fall for their tricks. We stayed united and voted union YES! Now we finally have our union with SEIU 775 and the power to end the disrespect, low wages, and years of having no voice at Alpha. But our struggle is not over. Now, we are fighting to win our very first union contract. It will not be easy. But after everything we have been through, I am confident that Alpha workers will remain united, secure a strong first contract, and finally win the respect we deserve.”
– Sulayman D., Lynnwood, WA
Fueling up for the fights ahead in Alaska
“Earlier this year, I had the honor of hosting the first ever Party in the Park in Fairbanks. We hold parties in the park every summer in Alaska. It was awesome for our Union siblings to come together on my home turf to have fun, eat good food, and get to know each other. Being able to pull this off in Fairbanks shows you just how strong we are as a growing Union. Our jobs can be isolating but through our Union, I am proud we are able to come together and celebrate each other.
Every year we see more attacks on our healthcare and our insurance. We can’t wait for this to get worse – we need to keep coming together and building each other up. Up here in Alaska we’re building up our Union contracts, fighting it out to win these elections, and we’re going to keep changing laws to make caregiving a good career. It’s showtime and we’re ready for the fight.”
– Essie F., SEIU 775 caregiver, Fairbanks, AK