Gov. Ted Strickland signs executive order that allows nurses and direct care aides who are independent contractors to choose a union
Approximately 7000 home health care workers in Ohio and their families have cause for celebration. Gov. Ted Strickland signed an executive order Tuesday giving them collective bargaining rights.
The order covers about 2,000 nurses and 5,000 direct care aides who are independent contractors not employed by the state or home health care agencies. They provide services to elderly or disabled patients and are paid through Medicaid, the state and federally funded health care program.
Strickland said he would also sign a similar executive order for child care workers. Both occupations are often classified as independent contractors, preventing workers from uniting together to make improvements in wages, benefits and quality of care. The executive orders would only apply to providers subsidized with public funds.
Currently, the direct care aides average about $15 an hour while the nurses make $55 an hour for the first hour and $25 an hour after that, [said SEIU 1199 Executive Vice President Becky Williams]. They have no vacation or health benefits and they have to pay their own taxes out of that.
Comments (1)
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I am an independent health care worker. I recently heard that we have a choice wether to join the union or not. I have been trying to find out how I can join, but my efforts have proven to be unsuccessful. Why isn't anyone sending us more info about this?
Posted by Chanda Ashworth on May 22, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Posted on May 22, 2008 at 2:00 PM