Invisible no more: the essential work of care workers
Care workers play a vital role in our communities. They feed, bathe,
and otherwise care for those who cannot take care of themselves. In
doing so, care workers make it possible for others to go to work and
live their lives. Unfortunately, care workers get paid low wages and few
benefits, all while performing physically and emotionally demanding
work.
In this episode, we speak with Melissa Unger, Executive
Director of SEIU Local 503, about the challenges facing care workers –
specifically, those who perform long-term care work. We discuss what
Oregon lawmakers should do to ensure that care workers can take care of
themselves and their families.
One of the policies that could
go a long way in improving working conditions for long-term care workers
is what's known as a “wage board.” We end the show with a conversation
with Janet Bauer, Director of Policy Research at the Oregon Center for
Public Policy, about the benefits of wage boards.