Last month, Vermont Homecare

United/AFSCME began talking with

legislators on the Health Care Over-

sight Committee about our work and

the necessity of higher wages for the

quality services we provide.

Over the past month, workers and

consumers testified at two hearings

and many others attended these

meetings.

Thanks to their work, a surplus

that was recently found in DAIL’s

2013 budget will fund a significant

pay rate increase for Choices for

Care and Attendant Services Pro-

gram caregivers. CFC personal care

services will be paid at a $10.53 /

hr. rate, while ASP workers will

receive a 15 cent raise.

"CFC has made caregiving

stronger in Vermont and now I

hope they are able to make it bet-

ter for caregivers. Caregivers like

me stick around because we love

these individuals and recognize

the importance of these public

services,” said Myscha Butt.

‘Choices For Care’ Attendants and Consumers Meet With

Legislators...and Get Results!

Homecare Workers Meet with Disability Rights Activists at People’s Convention

The Green Lantern The Green Lantern The Green Lantern September

Issue 1

Inside this issue:

Choices For Care

Homecare Providers

Win Pay Increase!

Labor Day Weekend

People’s Convention

Homecare Providers

Joint Letter to State

Legislators

The Voice For Personal Care Attendants

Continued on page 2

On Labor Day weekend, more than a doz-en Vermont Homecare United/AFSCME members joined more than 500 Vermont-ers at the first annual People’s Convention in Burlington, organized by the Vermont Workers Center and other groups. The convention brought together activists or-ganizing for workers’ rights, universal health care, the environment and other

causes. Members in their green T-shirts

were a visible presence throughout the

weekend. The convention’s highlight was

our meeting with dozens of leaders from

the disability rights community. We de-

veloped joint principles for our mutual

work during the coming months,

Continued on page 2

Page 2 The Green Lantern The Green Lantern The Green Lantern

from page 1 ‘Choices for Care’

Like countless other caregivers, Myscha has provided

24-hour care for a woman with physical and mental

disabilities for the past 5 years yet only receives pay

for 31 hours every 2 weeks.

This pay rate increase is just the beginning and

we won’t stop there. All of us caregivers and con-

sumers need a voice in the future of our pro-

grams.

Contact us at 802-355-6245 or

vthomecareunited@gmail.com to become a part

of forming our union.

Issue 1

including the right of attendants to bargain with

the state.

Brian McAllister of St. Johnsbury addressed the

crowd about our campaign. He told them how

he left his job as a truck driver to take care of his

mother. “While this is probably the most re-

warding work that I have done, there are certain-

ly many areas where it is frustrating. The lack of

insurance means that I have to be very careful

not to get hurt or sick, because if I do there is

nobody else to take care of my mother. When

we need equipment usually I am the one that has

to pay for it out of pocket. Add this to buying

food, gas, insurance, and other expenses and it

becomes difficult when you only make around

$300 per week.” Echoing the theme of the con-

vention, he closed by saying, “We need to Put

People First – at work, in our communities, in

our policies – and we need to get together to

build the movement to do that.”

In our meeting with disability rights activists,

Amanda Calder from Shelburne, Donna Lowre

from Peacham, and John Thibert from St. Al-

bans gave heartfelt remarks about the work

from page 1 ‘People’s Convention’

we do and why we are organizing. Meeting in small

groups, participants were enthusiastic about working

together around our shared principles. Plans are un-

derway for similar meetings around the state.

Page 3 The Green Lantern The Green Lantern The Green Lantern Issue 1

Below is a copy of a letter that caregivers from across Vermont recently submitted to legislators in Montpelier that make up

the Healthcare Oversight Committee.

By coming together, personal caregivers were able to have their voices heard for the first time for the benefit of consumers

and providers alike.

Become a part of Vermont Homecare United/AFSCME to improve the quality of care for consumers and the conditions of

caregivers. Contact us at 802-355-6245 or vthomecareunited@gmail.com.

July 17, 2012

We are among the over 1,200 caregivers in the Choices for Care ( CFC ) program. For us, caring for older Vermonters and people

with disabilities is a labor of love. Joining together with Vermont Homecare United/AFSCME, we hope to protect and improve quality

care for our consumers. We applaud your efforts to improve the CFC program through better compensation for caregivers. Compen-

sation for those who provide consumer-directed personal care services in CFC is only $10.14 an hour. Even with a 15 cent raise, we

will be earning less than we made five years ago. And that does not factor in the rising cost of living.

Four years ago, a legislative study found that direct care compensation falls below a livable wage, even for single adults. It is past

time to improve this dire situation. Low pay is not just a problem for workers. It leads to high turnover, harming the quality of services.

Consumers report they have trouble hiring and retaining workers because of low pay. Studies in other states have shown high turn-

over in direct care jobs leads to lower quality care, and that higher pay can dramatically reduce turnover. Vermont Homecare United

hopes to see improvements not just in compensation, but also training, advancement opportunities, the registry and other policy are-

as impacting both direct care workers and the consumers they serve. We look forward to working with you towards these goals in the

2013 session, and hope for your continued support as you oversee improvements suggested by DAIL.

Thank you very much.

Sandy Blodget Gran-

iteville

Paula Brady

Derby Line

Deborah Brodeur

Jericho

Virginia Brown

West Glover

Myscha Butt

Lyndonville

Mon Chamlagai

Burlington

Sandra Charity

Burlington

Trina Draper

Milton

Natasha Young-Perez

Windsor

John Thibert

St. Albans

Jennifer Angiolillo

Wells

Laura Arata

Orange

Heather Asbury

Rutland

Zinaida Aydinyan

South Burlington

Melissa Benjamin

North Bennington

Hari Bista

Winooski

Moti Bista

Winooski

Carol Delage

St. Albans

Sheila Thompson

Hartland

Jacquelynn Chechile

Putney

Linda Corey

Poultney

Elizabeth Courchaine

Hyde Park

Diane Croteau

Bellows Falls

Roseanne Deforge

Barre

Lisa Denning

Essex Junction

Janice Johnson

Windsor

Sandra Jones

St. Johnsbury

Dorothy Wathley

Randolph Center

Heidi Forehand

Randolph

Justin Foster

Morrisville

Richard Gokey

Hartland

Constance Goodrich

Vergennes

Fran Greenberg

Hinesburg

Jennifer Hawkins

Burlington

Rosemary Howe

Randolph Center

M. Elaine Howe

Randolph Center

Pamela Villemaire

Essex Junction

Lisa Ingalls

Johnson

Tina Jacobs

Orange

Brian Johnson

Lempster, NH

Shane Percy

Barton

Michael Perron

Jeffersonville

Ruth Preavy

Morrisville

Nancy Phillips

Moretown

Sheila Quillia

South Royalton

Althea Rivera

Bennington

Frances Munro

Milton

Lisa Newcomb

Jericho

Jasna Nukic

Colchester

Jessica Noyes

St. Johnsbury

Darlene O'Shea

Bennington

Shane Paquin

Bennington

Lori Sampietro

Montgomery Center

Suzanne Senesac

Colchester

Martie Shatney

Barton

Colenne Whalen

Wallingford

Douglas Shaw

Rochester

Cynthia Sheldon

Swanton

Heather Simmons

Burlington

Grace Smith

Charlotte

Bonnie Steiner

Bennington

Celia Svetaka

White River Junction

Lori Terry

Burlington

Vicki Wood

Dummerston

Philip Young

Brookfield

Judy Young

Orleans

The Green Lantern The Green Lantern The Green Lantern Page 4 Issue 1

“The only way we will be

able to improve the quality

of care and the wages of

the caregivers is by all of us

joining Vermont Homecare

United/AFSCME. This is

definitely the way forward.’’

Sheila Thompson

Hartland

“I feel homecare providers such as myself need a strong voice to help us receive better pay and health coverage.’’

Kolleen Gaudette

St Albans

“Family members should be able to stay in their home around their family so they're surrounded by people who love them and care. Family members should be fairly compensated to care for them be-cause it is a 24 hours, 7 days a week responsibility. ’’

Lori Mayville

Jericho

PO BOX 85

50 MAIN ST

Winooski VT 05404-9915

“Providers should have a

union in Vermont so that

our voices can be heard

to best support our con-

sumers and their families.

We also need to look out

for our own jobs and in-

come.”

Kymberly Desjardins

Essex Junction

PRESORTED STANDARD

U S POSTAGE

PAID THE MAILING CENTER

05641