Home care workers reach tentative agreement in contract negotiations
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Home care workers reached a tentative deal with Gov. Tim Walz and the State of Minnesota during their final day of negotiations.
Home care workers rallied Wednesday at the Minnesota Capitol. They discussed the need for better wages, retirement security and more support to better care for their clients as well as other key issues.
The new agreement was reached Saturday morning after more than 19 hours of talks. Some of the new benefits will include:
- Initial steps toward creation of a defined-contribution retirement program for home care workers.
- New stipends to help defray home care workers' out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
- Increased pay for workers
- Funding and a process for the state to develop a new, effective matching service to help clients find workers and to help workers find clients.
The tentative agreement will go to the union for a vote, then to the legislature for approval and funding. If the contract is approved, Gov. Walz will sign an appropriations bill with the contract going into effect July 1.
Note: the original video aired on Jan. 8