PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Workers who care for the elderly and people with disabilities in their homes are demanding hazard pay and more safety precautions. Wednesday was a national day of action for home healthcare workers in Pittsburgh and nationwide.
Several of the workers, members of the Service Employees International Union, showed up at Excel Homecare offices in East Liberty to present their demands in a letter. They said no one was available to speak with them, in fact the door was locked, so they slipped the letter beneath the door and will follow up.
SEIU members Francis Nolan Adams told reporters there is no social distancing in home healthcare. Plus, many workers need to take public transportation to work. He says it's a safety and justice issue.
"One of the things we have to remember is most of these jobs are done by minorities," said Adams. If Black lives are going to matter they have to matter all across the board."
Adams says the SEIU pushed hard for federal Cares Act funding for home healthcare. Now they want transparency in how it is spent. Excel did not immediately respond.
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