Bringing dignity home., February 01, 2001, Image 6

Homecare Political Action Alert
n Friday, January 26, homecare workers and
their clients met at union headquarters in Salem,
picked up their purple union T-shirts emblazoned
with “Quality Homecare-Campaign for Justice,” were
briefed on legislative action and piled into cars, vans
and a bus headed for the State Capitol. Homecare
workers and clients met with fifteen legislators...in their
offices, in the hallways and even pulling them out of
committee meetings to talk about the importance of
adequately funding the Homecare Commission.
Homecare workers like Anni Smith and
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ABOVE: Homecare workers and their clients explain
our campaign to Senator Peter Courtney (D-Salem)
Call to Action:
Homecare Workers and
their clients need to be ready to contact their
legislators when:
ABOVE: Homecare workers lobby Senator Roger Beyer
(D-Portland)
Maria Kaya of Woodburn met with both of their
legislators and told them about the important care they
provide, how much they save the state by providing in-
home care and the importance of making sure the
Homecare Commission gets funded. All over the capitol,
homecare workers and clients were meeting one-on-one,
in small groups or in large conference rooms with their
legislators, sending a clear message that the voters passed
BM99 and pressing them to support the implementing
language. Postcards with the same message were left with
legislators as well as legislative aides in offices where the
legislator was not available.
Homecare lobby day was just the beginning
of our political work as a union with this
legislature. Legislators warmly welcomed the visits,
expressed their support for the Homecare Commission
and told us to keep up the pressure. Senator Frank
Shields of Portland told us “Legislators (even the
friendly ones), need to be continually reminded
by homecare workers’ and clients’ stories about
how important these services are and how much
the state saves by having this program.”
- The implementing language bill gets introduced
(early in February).
- The Governor sends his nominees for the Homecare
Commission to the Senate Rules Committee, (some-
time before the end of March).
Senate Rules Committee members are: Steve Harper, Chair;
Peter Courtney, Vice-Chair; Jason Atkinson, Lee Beyer, Kate
Brown, Randy Miller and John Minnis.
Call the toll free legislative information line
(800) 332-2313 for information about how to con­
tact your legislator or visit our union’s web page at
www.opeuseiu.org and click on our political page. For
more information about the Homecare Campaign
contact Andrew Barnes at (800) 521-3446, ext. 17.
Alert!-------------------------------
Clients who fall within the impairment levels 15
through 17 (levels of disability) are at risk of losing
homecare services in the Governor’s budget. Clients
can contact their case managers to find out if their
services will be affected. Clients should also be
encouraged to contact their legislators to urge them
to support funding to maintain the current
eligibility for services with levels 15 through 17.