Nearly 200K Home Health Workers in NY to Vote on Unionizing
The move could expand the influence of the 1199 SEIU union and potentially increase costs for the state's Medicaid program.
Nearly 200,000 individuals who are paid through New York's $11 billion Medicaid program to care for elderly or disabled loved ones will hold a vote on unionization. The workers are part of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). The unionization effort, spearheaded by the influential 1199 SEIU healthcare union, could lead to increased costs for taxpayers.
The union officially filed paperwork with the National Labor Relations Board on Tuesday. If successful, this vote would represent the largest union vote in history, significantly boosting the 1199 SEIU's membership ranks, which currently stand at 450,000. Critics express concern that unionization will inevitably result in higher expenses for the CDPAP, with these costs eventually being passed on to taxpayers.
Governor Kathy Hochul's administration had previously overhauled the CDPAP program, consolidating payroll management under a single company, Public Partnerships LLC (PPL). This change has been met with criticism, with allegations of irregularities including unpaid workers and accusations of fraud. The Department of Justice has also filed a lawsuit alleging that state officials rigged the bidding process for the $1 billion CDPAP contract to favor PPL, subsequently allowing the company to overcharge the state.
"If this goes forward, it will amount to the biggest abuse of the Medicaid program in its history," said Ken Girardin, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
Approximately 65,000 personal assistants have already joined the program, according to sources. A spokesperson for PPL stated that the company is remaining neutral in the unionization effort and respects workers' rights to decide for themselves whether to unionize. PPL has entered into a neutrality agreement with the union.
Cadence Aquaviva, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Health, said the department has "no official position on the push for unionization." She noted that any potential rate increases resulting from union negotiations would require final state approval.
"We will continue to deliver a program that provides quality care for patients, workers, fair pay for workers, and the most effective use of taxpayer dollars," a statement from Hochul's spokesperson, Jonah Allon, read.
Sources suggest that a low turnout in the upcoming election could benefit the union, as it only needs a simple majority of votes cast to win. A low turnout could lead to a significant number of workers being unionized without actively participating in the vote, according to one source familiar with the matter. No date has yet been set for the vote.