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Home‑care workers urge Monterey County to back higher wages and stronger contract during public comment
Summary
A series of in‑person and remote public commenters on Aug. 5 urged the Board of Supervisors to support higher wages and a stronger contract for In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and other home‑care providers, citing low pay, long hours, and the program's role in preventing hospitalizations and institutional care.
Multiple home‑care workers and labor organizers addressed the Monterey County Board of Supervisors during general public comment on Aug. 5, asking the county to support a higher, livable wage for In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers and to help secure a strong contract.
Kayla Gomez, identified as a political organizer for SEIU 2015, said IHSS workers “make $19.24 an hour” and described the challenges workers face with the county’s high cost of living. Ms. Gomez asked the board to work with providers and labor partners to secure higher pay and protections.
Several IHSS providers spoke in Spanish through the interpreter and recounted long hours, lack of sufficient paid time and benefits, and the central role they play in keeping elderly and disabled residents at home. Kenya Maya described being paid only through IHSS and said she cannot pursue other employment because her caregiving responsibilities are continuous. Silva Dela Cruz said she works seven days a week at times and that the current rate is insufficient to live on.
Adriana Mendoza de Pena, who identified herself as a delegate representing nearly 6,000 members in Monterey County, said an offer under negotiation would pay “less than $21 an hour” in 2028 and urged supervisors to seek a better contract. A speaker who identified herself as a family member and former provider said her household avoided repeated hospitalizations because in‑home care kept her son at home.
Speakers asked the board to consider county actions and budget priorities that could support a stronger IHSS contract, to recognize home‑care workers’ contributions to public health and to preserve the program that allows many patients to remain in their homes. No formal action occurred during the meeting on IHSS wages; comments were recorded during the general public comment period.
