September 25, 2025 | The Bellingham Herald
A group of Bellingham caregivers supporting adults with disabilities voted to authorize a strike at their organization if their requests for higher wages, better staffing and improved training are not met.
The caregivers work for Evergreen Supported Living, a local nonprofit that has provided in-home support services to adults with developmental disabilities in Bellingham since it was established in 1982.
Represented by their union, SEIU 775, the caregivers are expressing concerns about worker conditions and understaffing threatening quality of care for Evergreen clients.
“I love working with the clients — the most rewarding thing is building rapport, doing what you can to make their day better,” Evergreen caregiver Bryce Squires said in an announcement about the possible strike. “Understaffing, low pay, inadequate training and an inability to have a say in our workplace is driving high turnover and threatening the quality of care our clients receive.”