Home care workers urge supervisors to oppose state cuts to IHSS wages and benefits

Several in-home caregivers and representatives from SEIU United Healthcare Workers West (UHW) told the San Francisco Board of Supervisors during public comment that proposed state budget cuts threaten wages and benefits for in-home supportive services (IHSS) providers and would harm care for seniors and people with disabilities.

Dedria Smith, identified on the transcript as a home care provider and a member of SEIU UHW, thanked the board for past support and said workers were relying on the supervisors to ensure that home care workers would not be affected by state budget cuts. "Please continue to do your part to protect these valuable programs," she told the board during public comment.

Other speakers included Sing Sing Niu, who described daily caregiving tasks for a disabled family member and said that without IHSS many consumers would be forced into institutional care, and Leon Chang, identified as a home care director with SEIU UHW, who thanked the board for long-term support and said the union had worked to prevent some wage cuts but that uncertainty remained heading into November.

Speakers asked the board to continue local budget support and to press the state for protections. The transcript records expressions of gratitude to the board and appeals for continued advocacy; no board vote occurred during public comment on state IHSS actions.