Invisible no more: the essential work of care workers

Policy for the People

Care workers play a vital role in our communities. They feed, bathe, and otherwise care for those who cannot take care of themselves. In doing so, care workers make it possible for others to go to work and live their lives. Unfortunately, care workers get paid low wages and few benefits, all while performing physically and emotionally demanding work.

In this episode, we speak with Melissa Unger, Executive Director of SEIU Local 503, about the challenges facing care workers – specifically, those who perform long-term care work. We discuss what Oregon lawmakers should do to ensure that care workers can take care of themselves and their families.

One of the policies that could go a long way in improving working conditions for long-term care workers is what's known as a “wage board.” We end the show with a conversation with Janet Bauer, Director of Policy Research at the Oregon Center for Public Policy, about the benefits of wage boards.