The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) said Thursday it will host in-person and virtual town hall meetings in 20 states over the next six weeks to promote jobs and investment in the nation’s home care economy.
The town halls will include members of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and care workers, and will call on lawmakers to support President Joseph Biden’s plan to pump $400 billion into home-and-community-based services (HCBS).
“Investing in good, union home care jobs can’t wait if we want to jumpstart our economy and make sure women share in the gains,” SEIU President Mary Kay Henry said. ”These town halls will put senators in front of home care workers to hear the impact of the pandemic on this workforce and see for themselves how investing in care is a necessary step to deal with systemic racism and poverty-wage work.”
The town halls will start later this week with events in Minnesota and Nevada. So far, Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Lisa Mukowski (R-AK), Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Tina Smith (D-MN) have agreed to take part in town hall meetings in their states.
Earlier, the SEIU announced it would spend $3 million on television, radio and digital ads in 12 states and the District of Columbia to promote increased spending on HCBS.
The SEIU represents about 740,000 home care workers nationwide and has been stepping up efforts to organize more of them.
