Direct Care Alliance Legislative Visits on Capitol Hill

Today, members of the Direct Care Alliance, the national advocacy group empowering workers to use their voice to bring about the change the workforce needs, spent the day visiting with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. The group from Maine; Julie Moulton from Maine PASA, Helen Hanson from Local 771 and Maine PASA, and Dennis Fitzgibbons, executive director of Alpha One, talked to staffers in two representative's offices. They got to talk to Representative Chellie Pingree in her office. The purpose of these legislative visits was to thank Representative Linda Sanchez and Representative Mike Michaud for their support with the Fair Labor Standards Act in extending the same rights other workers have in guaranteed minimum wage and paid overtime that workers in home care settings are denied. Both representatives signed a letter in favor of getting home care workers the same protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act as those workers in other occupations. They also gained support for direct care workers in health care reform. Direct care workers are a vital part of the overall health care system and they cannot be forgotten when the policy makers and congressional leaders start tackling this huge issue. seated, Dennis Fitzgibbons; l to r, Helen Hanson, Representative Chellie Pingree, Julie Moulton Representative Chellie Pingree was in her office and the group got to meet with her and explain the issues. She too was very supportive of what the Direct Care Alliance is proposing with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Representative Pingree was also in support of keeping direct care workers in the discussion with health care reform. The next steps are to follow up with Representative Pingree and see that she signs on. Tomorrow proves to be another busy day. We are meeting with staffers in Senator Collins' and Senator Snowe's offices.