The union representing long-term care workers in California has ratified an agreement with Santa Cruz County to boost pay to $20.50 an hour.
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2015 represents 3,171 workers in the county who provide in-home and long-term care services.
The new contract, ratified last month and set to go into effect in March, will increase a wage supplement to $1.25 an hour, bringing hourly wages to $20.50.
It also includes funds to purchase gloves, surgical masks, hand sanitizer and other protective equipment, and an agreement to maintain current health care contributions.
The SEIU said the agreement is a “significant achievement” in the union’s statewide campaign to hike wages for care workers, who provide services to older adults and those with disabilities in their homes, as well as in skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers.
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FOR THE RECORD: This article has been updated to correct the new hourly wage and the number of home care workers in the county.
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