Los Angeles, CA
November 2, 2023
Hi, good morning, everybody. And Krista, thank you for that very kind introduction.
I want to thank the entire team at Caring Across Generations, Ai-jen Pooand Sarita Gupta, my dear friends and sisters. These two extraordinary leaders have done here what I’ve always seen them do, which is imagine something is possible that doesn’t yet exist, and then bring people together to make it happen. And the “it” in this case is a care infrastructure that’s strong, resilient, inclusive, and valued – that allies those who need care with those who give it. And they do this by reminding us that care is always about people and the connections between us.
Last night, like so many of you, I was sad to learn that Ady Barkan passed away. As Ai-jen already said, Ady fought for a world where all people could get the health care that they need. He fought for at-home care, community-based care, and caregivers everywhere. We will miss him dearly but let us honor Ady by continuing our collective work.
So to talk about caregiving, I want to start at the bedside of a woman who lay dying from a blood disease. As is so often the case, it was her care worker, Irene, who was with her, who supported her, cared for her, and was at her bedside right up until her last breath.
Irene came to this country from the Philippines, and today, she’s part of the amazing organization based right here in Los Angeles called the Pilipino Workers Center.
And Irene knows it takes a special person – with heart and with passion – to be a caregiver. And Irene knows it’s an important job, although it’s hard not to wonder sometimes, based on the pay she that receives.
Irene’s work is stressful and emotionally draining. And that’s made much worse when her employer uses her immigration status against her.
You’ll get to hear directly from Irene a little bit later today. But her story – and that of so many more – makes it clear that caregivers need and deserve better.
That’s what President Biden believes, and that’s what the entire Biden-Harris administration believes.
Caregivers need and deserve an economy that works for them – and for all of America’s workers. An economy that’s equitable – where workers, regardless of gender, race, circumstance, or zip code – can thrive. An economy that grows from the middle out and the bottom up. An economy that recognizes the true value of care workers – both paid and unpaid.
So to all the caregivers who are gathered here: you are the parents raising children, sometimes while also taking care of your own moms and dads who are aging or a family member who is sick; you are the personal care aides who know that it’s not just about doing what’s absolutely required, but it’s also about doing what brings dignity and comfort; you are caretakers who help individuals with disabilities get ready for work… and nannies who go into homes to love and care for children, sometimes taking time away from your own in order to make that possible.
So to all of you, I want you to know that I see you. President Biden sees you. We value you. And we are fighting for you.
Now as we build our nation’s infrastructure, we know that a strong, secure care infrastructure is just as important as America’s roads and bridges.
At the Department of Labor, we published updated research just this morning. That research estimates that if the U.S. invested in caregivers and policies – like paid leave – as other advanced economies do, it would add over $775 billion in additional economic activity every single year.
And here in my home state of California, it’s worth noting that California led the way as the first state to provide paid leave.
What this research also shows is that when we do right by caregivers, we lift up everyone.
That’s right.
As Ai-jen has said – has always said – care work makes all work possible.
So today, I want to call special attention to professional care workers like Irene and share some news that I’m excited to announce right here at CareFest.
Child care workers and home health aides are overwhelmingly women. You’ve already heard this. To put a finer point on it, they’re largely women of color.
And the work that you all do is in very high demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that over the next decade, home health and personal care aide jobs will grow more than any other occupation.
So these are vital jobs. But, they’re not always good jobs.
On average in the United States, professional caregivers earn less than $15 an hour.
To that point, on Irene’s particularly hard weeks, her daily rate of pay means that she gets paid about $4.50 an hour. And, historically, care workers have had little bargaining power.
But that’s changing because of the people in this room today.
Around the country, you have come together to improve job quality for care workers, for cleaners, for domestic workers, for nannies, for all of us. From New York City, to Washington DC, to Chicago you have led local efforts to raise wages for those who clean and those who care.
But we have much more work to do.
Six months ago, President Biden issued an Executive Order calling for more access to high-quality care and more support for caregivers. And today, we’re taking an important step on delivering on the President’s vision.
So in the past, too many care workers have not had clarity as they started their job – clarity about their responsibilities, clarity about their pay or their rate of pay, or clarity about the quality of their working conditions.
So today, the Department of Labor is releasing sample employment agreements for cleaners, home care workers, and nannies who are employed by private households. And with these agreements, workers will have a voice in setting pay, in benefits, and other terms of their employment. These agreements can help workers negotiate and help prevent employers from exploiting or abusing workers down the line.
In other words, these sample employment agreements will put more power into care workers’ hands to demand dignity and respect in their workplaces.
And they’re also good for employers, right? Oftentimes, what’s good for workers is good for employers. And we have to remind ourselves of that. And for those employers in the room, who are saying that on a regular basis, we salute you for that.
Because they – these agreements – will establish clear standards, expectations, and responsibilities so all parties know what they’re getting into.
That’s right. These sample agreements are one example of what I’ve asked the Department of Labor to do every single day, which is unleash our full power for the good of working people across the country, especially those who are most vulnerable.
This is how we are building the most pro-worker, pro-union administration in history.
And across this administration, we are building the care infrastructure. We are using federal dollars to make sure that employers have a plan for finding the workforce that they need. And that plan includes providing their workers with affordable and accessible care so they can show up to work, without worrying about their loved ones.
So I think you all know this. But we are living in a moment right now. We have a moment to make real progress. Because in President Biden’s America, we are seeing workers organizing like never before. We’re seeing unions making demands at the bargaining table – and winning them – like never before.
That’s right.
And we’re seeing workers speak up for themselves like never before.
And we are seeing employers lead the way, charting a new future in their industry, in ways that have not been imagined before. Because President Biden and I also know that what we do is about people – what caregiving means for a family, what good jobs do for a community, what worker power means for our country.
So we must seize on this momentum to build the future that care workers want and deserve.
No longer hidden, while they prop everybody else up, no longer forgotten, while others get ahead, and no longer low paid, while we build an economy where no one gets left behind and, in a country, where everybody is valued.
So let’s do this work together.
Thank you so, so much and enjoy CareFest.