SEIU’s Henry: Caregivers are there for our families and communities every day – they deserve better pay and working conditions

Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement today to mark April as the second annual Care Workers Recognition Month:

Washington, DC – “Caregivers are there for our families and communities every day, in good times and in the worst times, often making great personal sacrifices as we saw during the pandemic. This April, we celebrate the largely women of color and immigrant workforce in child care, disability, veteran, and senior care who were written out of our nation’s sexist and racist labor laws nearly a century ago. By reaffirming last year’s historic Executive Orders to support these essential workers and make care more affordable for all Americans, President Biden is helping to undo this harmful legacy.

Every person in this country will at some point need care for themselves or their loved ones, and building a strong care workforce to meet this growing need is critical. We’re grateful for President Biden’s leadership in supporting care workers’ demands for safe staffing, paid leave and better pay without increasing costs to families who depend on care. As we continue to fight for an urgently needed federal investment in care, SEIU members and care workers know President Biden stands with us.”