Home Care Workers Protest Possible Wage Cuts

SEIU United Long Term Care Workers held a community vigil Friday afternoon to protest potential wage cuts to In-Home Supportive Services home care providers by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors is considering reducing the wages for home care workers who participate in the program from $11.50 to $10.35.

The protest, at the corner of Main and Beach streets also called on California end its support of the federal because the workers believe it has led to too many deportations. 

Through the program, inmates' fingerprints are run through the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement database when people are booked into local jails, including Santa Cruz County Jail, regardless of the offense they were arrested on. If they have an immigration hold or warrant, ICE officials can take custody of them.