Washington Home Care Workers Win $14 Minimum Wage

Home care workers in Washington State will soon see a spike in pay and increased benefits following a contract win by a union representing many home health workers in the state. 

Service Employees International Union 775 Northwest (SEIU Local 77NW) home health care workers in Washington will receive the first retirement plan for home care workers in the nation, an average wage raise to more than $14 and paid time off, SEIU Local 77NW said in a written statement.

The contract comes on the heels of a nationwide rally among thousands home care and fast-food workers to raise the minimum wage to $15.

Advertisement

“This contract represents a victory for the state’s most vulnerable people, the citizens we provide care for,” said Sylvia Liang, a Seattle home care worker and SEIU Healthcare 775NW member leader. “We’re pleased that the state recognizes the importance of providing quality long term care and treating workers with dignity and respect.”

Home care workers, along with personal care aides, rank among the top jobs projected for immense growth in the coming years as the population ages, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The contract win also follows SEIU Local 77NW’s efforts to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Seattle with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. 

Advertisement

Written by Cassandra Dowell

Companies featured in this article: