Home health-care workers keep pushing for higher pay rates

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Margaret Daugherty considers her job a labor of love -- all 90 hours a week.

A home health-care worker paid by the state, she cares for three elderly or disabled people, cleaning, running errands, helping them bathe, even cutting their hair. She does it for $7 an hour with no overtime, sick leave, vacation or health insurance.

Now she and thousands of other workers are, for the fifth year in a row, asking state government for a raise.

"Our society says we have to take care of these people. I take care of them above and beyond, but my needs aren't fully met," Daugherty said.

40,000 workers

The Department on Aging and the Department of Human Services use about 40,000 workers to provide home care for the elderly and disabled. They make between $5.15 and $7 an hour, and their union says less than half have health coverage. These workers are either employed by agencies which have contracts with the state government, or, despite their lowly wages, are independent contractors themselves.

"These are people who are doing work that you and I wouldn't do for twice the money," said Rep. Jack McGuire, D-Joliet. "They are feeding and changing their diapers, and they deserve a raise."

More than 300 workers rallied at the Statehouse to spread that message Thursday. "We can't survive on 5-1-5!" they chanted.

Lawmakers speaking at the rally assured the workers that they are a vital part of the state's health system.

"All people should have health care," said Rep. William Delgado, D-Chicago.

McGuire is sponsoring legislation to raise their wages -- by $1.37 an hour for workers paid by the Department of Aging and $1 for workers at Human Services -- and provide health coverage.

Similar measures have been rejected year after year, but proponents hope that will change now that Democrats control both legislative chambers and the governor's office.

Some of the workers were supposed to get a $1 raise last year, but former Gov. George Ryan cut that to 50 cents because of budget problems.

$40 million package

McGuire's package of bills could cost the state as much as $40 million a year. Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office won't say how he plans to handle the issue.

Blagojevich has signed an executive order giving collective bargaining rights to workers who care for disabled people. That means the union has the right to sit down and negotiate on behalf of those workers -- although the provision allowing employees to strike was taken out.

"Collective bargaining is hugely important. ... It gives us a lot more power," said Cindy Boland, a spokeswoman for the Service Employee's International Union Local 880.

Daugherty said even a $1 increase would go a long way. "That's 90 more dollars a week. That will help," she said.

Her patients, and one in particular, are what keep Daugherty from leaving for a higher-paying job.

"The reason I'm doing it is because of Jared," said the Springfield resident, who suffers from diabetes herself.

She met Jared two years ago, when the 66-year-old man with failing health weighed only 112 pounds. He spent most of his days in bed, was given sedatives and didn't trust people because previous workers had stolen from him.

Since Daugherty has taken over full-time care of Jared, he has gained nine pounds and often runs errands with her. He also has gotten a cat named Angel.

While she spends at least 50 hours a week with Jared, she also has two other people she cares for.

"I live in poverty and these people live in poverty," Daugherty said. "Politicians need to know what is going on."

The bills are HB1178, HB1179, HB302, HB303, HB2967.

On the Net: http://www.legis.state.il.us