LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan’s Home Help program has long provided essential Medicaid reimbursements for in-home caregivers, allowing family members, friends, and professionals to care for aging or disabled individuals. But new legislation passed in Michigan has caregivers in the crosshairs, forcing them to pay dues to a union they never signed up for, making them public employees instead of employees for the person they are caring for.
Democrats in Michigan’s House and Senate recently passed bills to classify caregivers as public employees, a move that allows the SEIU union to “skim” dues from caregivers’ Medicaid reimbursements for purposes of “collective bargaining.”
Caregivers, already stretched thin while caring for loved ones, will now see a portion of their income rerouted to union bosses. Worse, they won’t even be informed of their rights to opt out thanks to Democratic blocking of amendments that would notify caregivers.
History repeating itself?
This isn’t the first time Democrats have tried to slip union dues into caregivers’ pockets. Former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm had a similar plan, with the SEIU raking in $34 million from caregivers before the Republican-led legislature put a stop to it.
And when Michigan voters were asked to approve the idea in 2012, they shot it down with a solid “no” from 56% of the voters. But here we are again, with Democrats bringing back this rejected policy.
Caregiver crisis incoming?
As if caregiving weren’t stressful enough, this policy could drive family members out of caregiving entirely. AARP, a strong advocate for seniors, warned that the new law could hurt caregivers by adding red tape and shrinking their paychecks. With Michigan already struggling to find enough care professionals, they say this legislation could make the situation even worse.
The AARP urged lawmakers to exclude the roughly 30,000 paid individual and family caregivers in the Home Help Program from the Council’s authority established by the bill. They also pushed for an option allowing family caregivers to opt out of the union without having to pay fees. However, their pleas were ignored.
Will the legislation move on to other business sectors?
This plan to collect dues from in-home caregivers could pave the way for similar union efforts across other private sectors. Senate Bill 791 has an open-ended clause that allows the legislature to classify other workers as public employees for unionization purposes. What starts with caregivers could easily spread.
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Gov. Whitmer has made it clear she’s ready to sign this legislation, but caregivers across Michigan are left wondering if they’ll be able to continue providing care.
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