LANSING — Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a two-bill package to restore the ability of home care workers in Michigan to form and join unions. The bill comes a decade after the Republican-controlled legislature stripped a union away from over 40,000 workers in Michigan. The union, a part of SEIU Healthcare Michigan, had been successful in adding home care workers to those covered by minimum wage laws, instituting training to improve care and getting raises for a group of often overlooked workers.
From a press release issued by the Office of the Governor: Senate Bills 790 and 791, sponsored by state Senators Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) and Sylvia A. Santana (D-Detroit) allows individual homehelp caregivers in Michigan to unionize. These bills will support workforce development, expand training, and restore bargaining rights for 35,000 home care workers in Michigan.
“From automotive factories to the food service industry, we’ve seen that workers can negotiate for better wages and working conditions when they’reunited together as one. Individual homecare workers deserve nothing less than the ability to collectively bargain just as workers in all other sectors have,” said state Senator Kevin Hertel. “With this legislation, we are ensuring these essential workers have the tools they need to secure higher wages, better benefits, and pathways for professional development. They’ve been there for our families when we’ve needed them most; this is our opportunity to be there for them.”
“With the signing of Senate Bill 791 and its companion SB 790, we’re providing essential support to our homecare workers. These caregivers are a vital part of the safety net for our most vulnerable residents, and their contributions to our communities cannot be overstated,” said state Senator Sylvia Santana. “Thank you to the Governor and my colleagues in the Legislature for helping deliver such crucial support to our caregivers.”
SEIU issued an earlier statement upon passage of the bills in the State House. “I went from having a good job making $600 a week to a job with no benefits, no health insurance and no time off making $600 a MONTH,” said Carmen Echevarria, a home care worker who became a home care worker to care for her son. “Care workers, like myself, want to do our jobs well. But we need support. We need a union because without the ability to come together, we are forgotten and left out. We need a union to be successful and change our care system.”
“Michigan home care workers made history, and because of their courage, 35,000 workers across the state can exercise their power together. All of these workers, while caregiving full-time, came together to demand their rights be restored. They have showed everyone across the labor movement what organizing truly means. Look at what we can do when we come together,” said, April Verrett, president of SEIU.
According to the release by SEIU, Michigan and the rest of the country faces a Home Care Workforce Crisis:
The majority of Michigan’s Home Help home care workers are paid only $13.53 an hour. Low pay, a lack of essential benefits like health insurance and paid time off, and little access to consistent training opportunities have led to an alarming shortage of home care workers throughout the state. Turnover is skyrocketing because home care workers can’t afford to do this work while caring for their own families. As a result, too many working families can’t access affordable, consistent home care services. If legislators don’t act now, Michigan will have a shortage of more than 170,000 home care workers within the next decade.
About the Legislation
Senate Bills 790 and 791 are crucial for improving the working conditions and rights of home care workers in Michigan. These bills will:
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Restore Collective Bargaining Rights: Allow home care workers to unionize and negotiate better wages, benefits and working conditions.
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Establish a Public Authority: Create a Home Help Caregiver Council to oversee the employment and support of home care workers, ensuring they receive necessary training and benefits.
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Enhance Workforce Infrastructure: Provide centralized payroll services, mandatory training programs, and support systems to improve job satisfaction and retention among home care workers.
Home care workers from across the state are joining together as Michigan Home Care Workers United (MIHCWU). Home care workers are an essential part of the United States’ long-term care system, and they deserve to have a collective voice that advocates for better conditions in providing care. MIHCWU advocates for a solid caregiving infrastructure that creates good union home care jobs while making care affordable for families.
