Cody

D-Seattle

Group wants home care workers, legislators to earn equal pay

PATRICK CONDON, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Saturday, March 2, 2002

OLYMPIA -- If state lawmakers can't find a way to pay home health care workers higher wages, then the lawmakers themselves should make the same amount -- $7.68 an hour, with no health or retirement benefits.

That's the logic behind an initiative filed Friday by advocates for those workers.

"I think most people in the public would say someone who helps a senior stay in their home deserves at least as much money as a legislator," said Adam Glickman, spokesman for the Service Employees International Union.

Last year, the group successfully pushed Initiative 775, which granted home health care workers the right to form a union -- a process now under way.

But members of the group say legislators aren't translating that support from voters into a push for higher wages for the workers.

"This situation is intolerable, and budget crisis or no budget crisis, we need to start paying these folks a living wage," said Katrinka Gentile, a home care consumer who was a sponsor of I-775.

Last year, the Legislature approved a 50-cent hourly increase in home-care worker salaries. Glickman said his group would like to see that repeated. If it is, the initiative might be called off.

"Obviously, what we'd really like to see is for home-care worker salaries to move closer to those of legislators, not the other way around," Glickman said.

State lawmakers now earn $32,801 a year for their service to the state, along with an $82-a-day stipend every day they're in session.

Lawmakers are eligible to enroll in state health and retirement programs.

Rep. Eileen Cody, D-Seattle, chairwoman of the House Health Care Committee, said she personally would like to boost the pay of home-care workers.

But a lot of lawmakers wanted to do a lot of things before last week's revelation that the state's budget shortfall had shot up to $1.6 billion, she said.

On the Web:

- Washington State Treasurer

- Gov. Gary Locke

- Washington State Legislature

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