Around the Regions 1199 Social Workers Lobby NYC for Pay

Equity

New York City contracts with nonprofits to provide billions of dollars’ worth of critical social services to New Yorkers in need. But according to a recent study by the New School, roughly two-thirds of all full-time human services workers had earnings in 2019 which fell below the city’s near-poverty threshold.

That is why 1199ers testified at a City Council hearing on January 30 in support of legislation, known as intro 510, which would establish citywide prevailing wage for human service providers. Such legislation would result in improved wages for Union members working as social workers at

NYC nonprofits and also improve recruitment and retention in this crucial sector.

William Perez has been an 1199 behavioral health Social Worker at Callen Lorde for one year. “For 17 years [before that], I literally bounced from one agency to another and back, just seeking higher pay,” he told the NYC councilors, “With two kids to support and tens of thousands of dollars in student loans, I could only afford a tiny studio apartment. Three daily meals were unaffordable and at times, I went without food for myself so I could feed my kids. Getting to where I am today has been a struggle and it is for that reason

Massachusetts Holds Statewide Delegate Assembly

that I come before you today.”

“Many people use community health clinics as steppingstones to gain the necessary experience and move to jobs with higher salaries,” said Maria Oritz, an 1199 Certified Social Worker who works in East Harlem, “It does not have to be this way. I can easily earn over $10,000 more elsewhere, but serving my community is my objective and I plan to do that for as long as I can, which will depend on increasing expenses. The clinics have a difficult time recruiting and retaining long-term workers. Establishing prevailing wages for them will go a long way toward ensuring long term worker retention.”

“Three daily meals were unaffordable and at times, I went without food for myself so I could feed my kids. Getting to where I am today has been a struggle and it is for that reason that I come before you today.”

Child Care Fund Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary

For three decades the 1199SEIU Child Care Funds and the Child Care Corporation have provided quality services to over 400,000 children and families of both Union members and the community at large. The Care for Kids Awards Gala on December 6 at the Lighthouse in Chelsea Piers was the first time since 2019 that members, officers and supporters were able to celebrate in person together since the pandemic began.

Janet Kaledzi, an 1199 RN at Mt Sinai Beth Israel told the audience that all her four children, now aged between 18 and 30 had benefitted enormously from the Child Care Fund. “We lived in New Jersey and every summer my children would spend eight weeks at the camp in New York City, learning to swim and going to museums,” she said, “They were exposed to experiences that I would not have had the time or money to share with them.”

When they got older her children also benefited from the Joseph Tauber Scholarship Program during their undergraduate years. Her eldest daughter became a teacher, her second eldest obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Health and her youngest daughter is now working as a paralegal after studying criminal justice. Her youngest son is following in her footsteps and has just started nursing school.

“Every summer my children would spend eight weeks at the camp in New York City, learning to swim and going to museums. They were exposed to experiences that I would not have had the time or money to share with them.”

On January 18, nearly 200 Massachusetts members united in-person and virtually for a statewide 1199 delegate and leader assembly. They came together to celebrate recent victories, identify and prioritize the challenges they face and to develop a shared vision for 2023. Together, the delegates created action plans to build the union in each of their workplaces and approved policy priorities to tackle low wages and inadequate staffing across the board.

The keynote speaker was Michael Curry, the CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, which represents 52 health centers, serving over one million patients out of over 314 practice sites throughout the state. He also serves on the Health Equity Compact, of which 1199SEIU is a member, that aims to combat racial and ethnic disparities in Massachusetts laid bare by the pandemic.

His speech to the assembly emphasized that equity and justice must be central to all healthcare decisions.

 Members gather at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

 Delegates Donna Nixon and Maryanne Villani of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, MA, share a moment.

Strong Memorial commemorates Dr King

1199SEIU members in Rochester held their 42nd Annual Martin Luther King Celebration at Strong Memorial Hospital on January 17. Members came together to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King with music, dance, and poetry.

Tina Hawkins, Materials Processing Specialist at the hospital, said: “Dr King taught us the value of equality and freedom of speech regardless of race, creed and color. We are important and must use our voice to make changes that will make this world a better place.”

The keynote speaker, New York State Senator for Rochester, Jeremy Cooney, told the assembly: “Labor leaders and the workers they represent are strong partners in his advocacy for civil rights and anti-poverty policies.”

Around the Regions

Tackling Maryland’s Long Term Care Crisis

1199 members joined the Caring Across Maryland coalition of workers and healthcare advocates as they unveiled a package of bills for state lawmakers aimed at improving conditions for caregivers. The legislation would increase wages and provide greater oversight of nursing home acquisitions.

Cynthia Neely, a home care aide, said she loved her job, but she's overworked and underpaid -- earning just $13.50 an hour. Staffing shortages are severe, she added. At some places, there are just two employees responsible for as many as 40 patients.

“I love taking care of people,” said Neely, “Unfortunately, I have to work multiple jobs as a caregiver to make ends meet. It is unacceptable to treat the people who take care of our most vulnerable loved ones so badly. I’m out there every day as a caregiver and I see clearly that caregivers in Maryland are headed in the wrong direction. I urge the Maryland General Assembly to take action and pass these bills for a more caring healthcare system.”

The Caring Across Maryland coalition says their state currently has the third-longest wait list for long-term care services in the country. If nothing is done to address it, the situation will only get worse, says 1199’s Maryland/ DC Political Director, Ricarra Jones: "Our aging population is set to explode by 40 percent in 2030.” Not only that, but the caregiving needs of adults are becoming more diverse as individuals with chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia are living longer.

“It is unacceptable to treat the people who take care of our most vulnerable loved ones so badly. I urge the Maryland General Assembly to take action and pass these bills for a more caring healthcare system.”