I dedicate today, Mother's Day, to my grandmothers. One black, one white, and both worked as domestics during portions of their lives. One became a caregiver nanny for me, enabling my mom to go out to work, go back to school, get a Master's degree, help me go to college and be where I am today. Later, when my grandmother began to "forget things," she needed a caregiver, and my mom hired a wonderful woman, Mrs. Jolley, to come into our home and look after her.
I dedicate today to all those women who are caregivers. The women, many of whom are moms themselves who take care of our children, clean our homes, look after aging parents for us, who do the cooking, the laundry, the shopping, health care ... they take up the burdens for many of us and often we forget to say a simple "thank you." Or to give them a card. But more important than giving them a card and thank yous is giving them a shot at earning a living wage, having benefits and protection under the law.
I thank New Yorkers today for having enacted the historic Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Hawaii has also passed similar legislation which awaits the signature of the governor. In Vermont, more than 7,000 caregivers have just won the right to collective bargaining.
I thank all the organizers and legislators in California who worked so hard to get a bill of rights for domestic workers passed, and it did, but when it got to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown, he vetoed it. They will be back. The struggle is not ended.
I thank Hilda Solis for championing fair pay and overtime pay for home health care attendants during her tenure as secretary of labor. The decision on this is still pending. I'm sending President Obama a card to remind him of his promises on this issue. Unfortunately filling the position of labor secretary is being blocked by Republicans. Nominee Thomas Perez has advocated for domestic workers rights.
Republicans have demonstrated over and over again that they don't care about our mothers, or daughters, or workers, or fairness.
But we will prevail. We care.
I thank Ai-jen Poo, and the thousands of women she has helped organize as Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
I join hands as sister in solidarity with the new efforts of "Caring Across Generations" to secure quality care for our aging or disabled family members.
Join me below the fold for more.
I know what it is like to cope with caring for family members who are ill, or aging. I've lived through helping with my brother's schizophrenia, my grandmother's dementia, and my dad's Alzheimer's disease.
As a member of the growing group of aging boomers, at 65, with various health issues, I too will in the future need that aid.
I have also at certain times in my life employed a household worker, as have many of my friends, who via the opportunities afforded through the women's movement got the opportunity to find challenging jobs that left far too little time to also juggle domestic tasks.
None of it would have been possible without the able assistance of home care providers and domestic workers.
Why should they not be afforded the same rights as workers that I, and many other workers, receive?
Join with me on Mother's Day supporting these workers who deserve dignity, respect, living wages and protections.
Tony nominee Kathleen Chalfant is featured in a new Mother's Day PSA for the Caring Across Generations movement:
Many of the women who are caregivers are featured on their pages. Here's Dabphne's story.
Many of you have already participated in the #BeTheHelp campaign, which I've posted here before.
The struggle continues in Illinois, where there is pending legislation. In Oregon, the house has passed a bill which has been sent to the Senate. A campaign has been launched in Massachusetts.
Join me today in expressing appreciation for the mom's and caregivers who give, or have given so much. Let's be the help they need.