Home health care workers plan to unionize in Michigan

OKEMOS Mich. (WLNS) – Home health care workers can now unionize in Michigan—and that’s what many plan to do.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed two bills into law allowing these workers to unionize, and on Thursday, those excited about the new legislation celebrated with a high-profile event.

Unionizing is something Michigan Home Care Workers United has been working towards for a long time. The group said this allows healthcare workers to negotiate better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

“Caring for my family takes precedence over everything,” says Nadia Chisnell, who has been a home care worker for her sister Angela for almost 2 years.

She is hopeful that unionizing will benefit her family and the care her sister receives.

“In my previous jobs, I was able to pay my bills and stay afloat, but now I only make around $800 a month which leaves it hard to afford health care. At the moment we haven’t had hot water ’cause I can’t afford a hot water heater,” Chisnell said.

Officials said the legislation will also create a caregiver council to oversee workers and make sure they are getting benefits and proper training. The acting United States Secretary of Labor, Julie Su, expressed her support for the new laws.

“When workers have a real voice they help to create more stability in the workplace, retention is better,” Su said.

State Rep. Ann Bollin (R-49) agrees that home care workers are undervalued and deserve more but she said unionizing won’t give them what they really need, which is relief.

“There’s a requirement that they attend a meeting. What our caregivers need is respite, not more regulation. If you have 3 or 4 hours and you are a caregiver, to have to have that scheduled in to attend a meeting, what’s its purpose? What value does it really serve to me and my family member?” Bollin said.

She said those being cared for require their own unique type of care, and it’s not something that should be streamlined into one process.

“This seems to be a global attempt at something that is very, very individualized,” Bollin said.

Those in support say it will bring in more home care workers because they will feel they have the power needed to demand change. Bollin would like to see the new legislation overturned. Unless that happens, the process of unionization begins.

People involved said there are 35,000 home care workers in the State and 30% of them will need to be on board with unionizing. Then, they can become a local union under the Service Employees International Union.

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