Ventura County home care workers in negotiations for improved working conditions, livable wages, and healthcare

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif.—IHHS workers help low-income patients who are blind, disabled, or 65 years or older so they can remain safely in their homes. 
 
In Ventura County the IHSS program serves approximately 7,000 people each month.
  
The caregiving profession requires a lot of patience and attention. 
 
But many caregivers say their pay does not reflect the extent of the work they do on a daily basis.
 
“One of our members has said we are therapist, we are the nurses. We are like, you know, like the cooks for them. You know, we are everything for them. And so, like I said, it's not just the baby sitting down where you're just watching someone together. It's more than that,” said SEIU Local 2015 Representative Aracely Preciado.

That is why California’s largest labor union— SEIU Local 2015— is in negotiations with the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. 
 
“Right now they're barely making $20 an hour. Right. I believe they should, at least at the minimum right now be making $25 an hour. You know, because a lot of them right now are working two and three jobs just to make ends meet.,” said SEIU Local 2015 External Vice President Dereck Smith.

73.3% percent of IHSS providers in Ventura County report working multiple jobs to survive. 
 
But they need more than just higher wages. They need affordable healthcare. 
 
“One member shared of how how much he's paying like over $700 for cover California. So like they don't qualify for Medi-Cal, so they got to cover California. But it is a bit a bit pricey,” said Aracely Preciado.
 
A survey conducted by SEIU Local 2015 indicates 20% of home care providers consider leaving the profession due to low wages and lack of benefits.
 
But the need for these home care providers is going to grow quickly in the next decade.  
 
“The way the population is growing in Ventura County, as well as all our county in the state, you know, it's going to be more than double in the next ten years,” said Dereck Smith. 

In 2023 Ventura County had over 860,000 unused IHSS hours, which highlights the need for home caregivers.