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IHSS caregivers urge higher wages and press board over supervisor raises during extended public comment
Summary
Multiple IHSS caregivers and union members told the board they face low pay, high vacancy rates and service gaps; speakers said the board offered a limited raise to caregivers and criticized supervisors’ own salary increases.
Scores of in‑home supportive services (IHSS) caregivers and SEIU union members addressed the Board during the public‑comment period, urging a meaningful wage increase and warning that low pay is driving caregivers out of the program.
Several speakers described day‑to‑day caregiving duties and argued the county’s current pay makes it hard to recruit and retain workers. Frances Dye said IHSS workers perform intensive hands‑on care and recounted a case in which a client improved substantially after daily caregiver intervention. "We need a raise so we can keep more caregivers here," she said.
Jerica Salyers, who identified herself as born and raised in Shasta County, criticized what she described as the board’s priorities and contrasted caregivers’ pay with supervisor salaries: "IHSS pay is currently at about $18.50 an hour... At your $85,024 salary ... that breaks down to still over $44.28 an hour," she said, calling for a livable wage for caregivers.
Union speakers said local, state and federal funding would leverage county wage increases and that failure to raise pay burns unclaimed matching funds and increases the risk of clients entering institutional care. One speaker said available state and federal matches total more than $6 million and argued a small local investment could unlock substantial outside funding.
Board response: supervisors heard the testimony but did not take immediate action during the meeting; the discussion referenced ongoing budget work and midyear budget processes. Several supervisors expressed sympathy and asked staff about budget constraints and vacancy analyses; no vote on IHSS wages occurred at the Feb. 10 meeting.
Reported here from the Feb. 10 board meeting: a coalition of IHSS caregivers and union members used the public‑comment period to press for higher wages, increased transparency and a clear timeline for board consideration.
