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IHSS caregivers urge supervisors to back higher wages in upcoming contract
Summary
Multiple IHSS caregivers and SEIU representatives told the board during public comment that in‑home supportive services workers in San Joaquin County urgently need higher, livable wages in the next union contract to avoid homelessness and financial instability.
At the public comment portion of the Feb. 11 meeting, several IHSS caregivers and SEIU representatives urged the Board of Supervisors to support a stronger union contract with higher wages for In‑Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers.
Erica Pena Lopez, who said she has provided IHSS care in San Joaquin County for one year and is a member of SEIU 2015, described personal hardships and pleaded for higher compensation: "I urge you to please patch pass a strong union contract with higher wages for IHSS workers," she said, noting she and her grandmother faced eviction and long waits for affordable housing.
Other speakers — including Vicky Escalante and Aurelia Walker — described long service histories, the financial stresses caregivers experience (multiple jobs, skipped medical care), and the systemic consequences of low pay. Walker cited data presented during her remarks: "75% of IHSS workers must work multiple jobs to make ends meet," and "Nearly 50 percent of IHSS workers have trouble paying for housing in San Joaquin County," noting caregivers keep loved ones in community homes and keep families together.
Multiple supervisors acknowledged the comments and thanked caregivers for their work. The board did not take immediate action but supervisors and staff acknowledged continued labor negotiations and the county's role in supporting service access and outcomes.
Speakers tied wage demands to resident outcomes: caregivers argued better pay would stabilize home care, reduce reliance on institutional placements, and improve the quality of long‑term care in the county. SEIU representatives thanked supervisors for timely negotiation engagement and urged continued collaboration.
