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Caregivers, union representatives urge Trinity County supervisors to raise IHSS wages amid staffing shortages
Summary
Multiple in-person speakers during public comment urged the board to raise pay for In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers to address caregiver shortages and the county’s ability to retain providers.
Multiple Trinity County residents and IHSS workers told the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 21 that low IHSS pay is driving caregivers out of the program and creating a shortage of home care.
"$17.85 an hour is nowhere near enough to keep up with the cost of living," said Matthew Skrimager, who identified himself as an IHSS worker and a member of SEIU 2015’s bargaining team. Skrimager urged the board to “continue to work with our union to reach an agreement on wages that will help us better attract and retain the caregivers we need.”
Susan, who said she has been an IHSS worker for almost 18 years and provides care to an elderly woman with specialized needs, told supervisors that low pay forces caregivers to forgo their own medical care: "We are health care professionals and urgently need a wage increase that will help provide for ourselves, our families, and our clients, your constituents."
Leticia Guerrero, who said she has been participating at the bargaining table, asked the board to return to negotiations and noted that IHSS funding is uniquely matched with state and federal funds. Consumer Dennis Duncanwood, a Lewiston resident and IHSS recipient, described his new worker as “absolutely fantastic” and urged supervisors to find more money for caregivers.
Speakers and union representatives repeatedly tied retention challenges to rising local costs and called on the board to resume bargaining and consider higher pay. Several supervisors acknowledged the testimony and noted ongoing negotiations; the board did not take an immediate vote on wages during the meeting.
The public‑comment block included appeals from both workers and clients emphasizing that raising IHSS wages would keep residents in their homes and reduce county costs for institutional care.
