SEIU Local 200U

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Human Service Workers Lobby in Albany

On Tuesday, March 9, members of SEIU Local 200United met with legislators in the state capital to protest Medicaid cuts in the Governor’s proposed budget and to urge continuation of the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for workers at voluntary Human Service Agencies (HSAs) throughout Upstate New York.

NYS Assemblywoman Susan John meets with Human Service Agency Workers from the Rochester area
Assemblywoman Susan John meets with members

During their day-long lobbying session, SEIU Local 200United members met with ten New York Senators and Assembly members, including Senate Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Chair Thomas W. Libous, Assembly Mental Health Committee Member Barbara Lifton, Senate Education and Labor Committee Member Joe Robach, and Assembly Health Committee Member Bill Magnarelli.

The Union’s agenda includes a strengthening of New York State support for staff recruitment and retention funding at voluntary Human Service agencies as a measure to fight low wages, which lead to more than 50% turnover in the upstate region. Local 200United members also promoted targeted fiscal relief for agencies in crisis, similar to programs in neighboring Massachusetts. Finally, our members urged the passage of Senate legislation which will increase the state minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.10 an hour in January 2006. Approximately 700,000 New York State workers will directly benefit from a wage increase.

The highlight of the day was winning an impropteau meeting with Senator Stephen M. Saland, who represents Dutchess County, where ARC workers were struggling to win a first contract. Agreeing to meet with the group, Saland heard directly from Dutchess ARC workers among the standing room only crowd in his office.

Local 200United represents more voluntary HSA workers than any other union in upstate New York. In 2003 we began the statewide Campaign for Action Respect and Equality (C.A.R.E.). C.A.R.E. is a multi-faceted initiative to improve, upgrade, and professionalize the Human Services.

Local 200United’s message to legislators stated: “Our clients are the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, emotionally disturbed, and dysfunctional adolescents. We C.A.R.E. for those who cannot care for themselves. Aside from providing a safe setting for life activities, our programs help these citizens become assets to our society and the economy. We know that quality C.A.R.E. for our clients and decent jobs for care givers go hand-in-hand.”