October 16, 2014
By Stephanie West
Washington, DC – Home care workers from coast to coast have kicked off the Home Care Fight for $15 this past week by confronting candidates at the local, state, and federal levels – to demand that they do whatever it takes to help home care workers win $15 per hour and better rights on the job.
These actions are the first steps taken by home care workers since joining fast-food and other workers in a national movement for higher pay, better rights on the job, and an economy that works for everyone.
Home care workers have confronted elected officials ranging from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to Georgia's Republican Senate candidate, David Perdue, calling on them to support the Home Care Fight for $15.
On October 14h home care workers stood with fast-food workers in Madison, Wisconsin, confronting Gov. Walker over his opposition to raising pay for low-wage workers and recent declaration that the state’s $7.25 per hour minimum wage constituted a “living wage.”
On October 15th, home care workers protested outside GOP Senate candidate David Perdue’s campaign office to demand his support for $15 per hour and better rights on the job. Workers in Virginia rallied at the Richmond campaign headquarters of GOP House candidate David Brat and at the Virginia Beach district office of Rep. Scott Rigell.
Today, October 16th, union and non-union home care workers rallied with fast-food workers outside the GOP headquarters in Colorado. In Michigan, workers protested at the campaign headquarters of GOP Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land.
Home care workers rank among the lowest-paid workers in the economy, earning just $17,000 per year, despite working in one of the country’s highest-demand, fastest-growing occupations.
