California - Domestic Workers Insist on a Living Wage

Since their contract expired in January, the providers have pushed a $1.50 hourly raise. When mediation broke down in September, about 7,000 providers — independent contractors represented by United Domestic Workers of America (UDW).

San Diego, California

More Than Pennies! - Members of United Domestic Workers of America in San Diego County rally last month.
Photo Credit: Barb Maynard

A proposed raise of just 44 cents an hour — over three years — has 22,000 San Diego home care providers demanding justice.

Since their contract expired in January, the providers have pushed a $1.50 hourly raise. When mediation broke down in September, about 7,000 providers — independent contractors represented by United Domestic Workers of America (UDW), an AFSCME affiliate — joined with supporters at a rally to press their case in front of the San Diego County Administrative Building. They raised their voices so loud the County Board of Supervisors, which was meeting inside, shut their windows.

The providers, who care for the elderly and people with disabilities in the patients’ homes, make just $9.25 an hour. That’s far less than their counterparts in most other urban California jurisdictions (ranging from $9.51 an hour in Los Angeles County to $14.43 an hour in Santa Clara County) and well below a livable wage for the county.

“You make $9.25 an hour here in San Diego County — that’s poverty wages,” says UDW Local 3930 Pres. Laura Reyes.

Their campaign for a livable wage has resulted in at least 400 new members joining the local.