National Domestic Workers Alliance and Partners Wrap Historic Week for Care Economy

The week was punctuated by a White House Executive Order, a Town Hall with Senator Bernie Sanders and a summit bringing together people from across the industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week marked an unprecedented movement towards a just and equitable care economy, as hundreds of family caregivers, people with disabilities, older adults and early childhood and long-term care workers gathered in Washington, D.C. to sound the alarm on the care crisis and chart a path forward. The week was underscored by the signing of the Biden-Harris Administration’s set of executive actions to improve care affordability and care jobs, as well as the first-ever Care Worker’s Can’t Wait Summit and a town hall meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders. Links to images and video from the events below. 

Here is a more comprehensive look at the week’s activities: 

• Care Worker’s Can’t Wait Summit: In a show of unity, the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, MomsRising, Care in Action, Care Can’t Wait, and a number of the care movement’s Congressional champions, gathered to sound the alarm on the care crisis and launch a renewed effort to educate the nation, improve the quality jobs, and recognize care workers. Workers, activists, care recipients, union members, and other leaders from across the care economy were joined by notable public figures, including Morena Baccarin and Members of Congress Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Representatives Angie Craig, Jimmy Gomez, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. 
• The Biden-Harris Administration Executive Order: On Tuesday, April 18, President Joe Biden signed a historic set of actions with 50 directives aimed at nearly every cabinet-level federal agency to utilize existing funding to expand access to quality, affordable care, and provide support to family caregivers and care workers, including domestic workers. 
• Town Hall with Senator Bernie Sanders: On Tuesday evening, hundreds of workers convened at the U.S. Capitol for a conversation with Senator Sanders, National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo, Sen. Bob Casey, International President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Mary Kay Henry, along with care workers Venice Sanders, Suzzane Ott, and Miren Algorri. Care advocates and workers were able to share their lived experiences with the care system and voice their needs from policy makers in order to make their jobs good jobs and make care more accessible for all. 

“We are the child care, early childhood, nursing home, personal care, and home care workers of America,” said National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo in her opening remarks. “We stand on the shoulders of domestic workers and home care workers like Dorothy Bolden who were explicitly excluded from the labor rights of the new deal, and yet whose courageous organizing, and refusal to sit at the back of the bus powered a national movement for civil rights. Our organizations were never meant to exist, let alone be powerful. But look at us now. I don’t know about you, but I want to do something big with the power we’ve built. That’s what the next two days are all about.”

“Yesterday, we witnessed history,” said National Domestic Workers Alliance Executive Director Jenn Stowe on Day 2 of the Summit. “We witnessed President Biden – alongside people with disabilities, family caregivers, long-term care workers, early educators, veterans, and aging advocates – announce the most comprehensive set of executive actions any President has ever taken to make care more affordable and accessible for hard-working families while supporting care workers and family caregivers. The Executive Order will make care more affordable, enhance job quality for care workers, provide greater support for family caregivers, and advance domestic workers’ rights. This was your victory. This was workers standing in our power, demanding dignity and respect, from the White House to the U.S. Capitol!”

The Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit and the Biden-Harris Administration’s executive actions come on the heels of the White House proclamation designating  the month of April as Care Workers Recognition Month. Ai-jen Poo, Jenn Stowe, and The National Domestic Workers Alliance partners and care workers are available for interviews to discuss their efforts to strengthen the care economy and the implications of the Administration’s care investment commitments.

MEDIA RESOURCES: 

• Select photos (credit: Jahaira Dixon): https://east95thstreetphotography.pic-time.com/Z2hRUghyBn50j
• Sen. Bernie Sanders Town Hall: https://fb.watch/k02FAnwu3T/
• President Biden signing Executive Order: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrOBM3UMmna/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Livestream for portion of Care Summit Day 1: https://fb.watch/k02N2P-DLZ/
• Livestream of Care Summit Day 2: https://fb.watch/k02EbMceZx/

Ai-jen Poo, President, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director, are available for interviews upon request. For interview inquiries or if you’d like to learn more about the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit, please email christinacoleman@domesticworkers.org and prerana@ellecomm.com.

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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National Domestic Workers Alliance Statement on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Historic Executive Actions to Improve Care Affordability and Care Jobs

This announcement comes on the heels of the White House Proclamation declaring April as Care Workers Recognition Month. 

WASHINGTON – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the most comprehensive set of executive actions to improve care in the history of the United States. President Joe Biden will sign the order at an event with family caregivers, people with disabilities, older adults and early childhood and long-term care workers, including workers who are members  of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.  The order includes more than 50 directives to federal agencies to utilize existing funding to expand access to quality, affordable care, and provide support to family caregivers and care workers, including domestic workers. 

Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, released the following statement in response:

“This is a tremendous milestone for families and workers across the country. This unprecedented slate of executive actions represents the most comprehensive set of actions any president has ever taken to improve the care infrastructure and support families and care workers. We applaud the  Biden-Harris Administration’s historic commitment to addressing the growing demand for affordable, high-quality care services for our loved ones, while ensuring care workers are afforded the protections, wages, and dignity they deserve on the job.  

This could not have come at a more critical time. As the care workforce crisis intensifies across the country and families continue to struggle to afford care, this set of executive actions marks the all-in commitment we need to make sure care jobs are good jobs and that Americans can access care for generations to come. It is a major step toward modernizing our care system.  

These executive actions recognize the critical importance of care work, including paid and unpaid responsibilities such as child care, elder care, and disability care. It acknowledges the challenges care workers face, who are often undervalued and underpaid, and aims to improve their wages, benefits, and working conditions.

The order also focuses on expanding affordable access to care services, particularly for low-income communities, promoting continued innovation and collaboration in the care sector. It recognizes that care work is essential to the economy and that investment in this sector can lead to job creation and economic growth.

The magnitude of these investments cannot be overstated – the Administration is leading us to the once-in-a-generation investments needed to improve the lives of millions, and toward building a more equitable and sustainable care infrastructure in this country. It is our hope that today’s promise is inspiration for our country’s decision makers and leaders to prioritize  care in all they do. Our families, our jobs and our future depend on bold actions like today’s Executive Order – and care is a need that we can no longer overlook. We look forward to continuing our efforts, alongside the White House and all of our nation’s leaders, toward ensuring that every person in this country has access to affordable care and that every care worker receives the dignity and respect they deeply deserve.”

In an unprecedented show of unity of workers, families, consumers of care and leaders across the care economy, the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, MomsRising, Care in Action, Care Can’t Wait, and a number of the care movement’s Congressional champions, will gather in Washington, D.C. for the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit on April 18th and 19th to celebrate this announcement, and chart  our way forward.

This announcement also comes on the heels of the White House proclamation designating  the month of April as Care Workers Recognition Month. This recognition is particularly meaningful in light of a long history of exclusion of some workers from basic protections in our nation’s labor laws.  

Ai-jen Poo, President, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director, are available for interviews upon request. For interview inquiries or if you’d like to learn more about the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit, please email christinacoleman@domesticworkers.org and prerana@ellecomm.com

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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National Domestic Workers Alliance and Partners Host First-Of-Its-Kind ‘Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit’ to Unite Workers and Leaders to Highlight The Critical Need for a Stronger Care Economy

The summit, led by NDWA, SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, Care in Action, and Care Can’t Wait, will take place in Washington, D.C., on April 18 and 19.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a White House Proclamation declaring April as Care Workers Recognition Month to celebrate and highlight the critical contributions of care workers and caregivers across the nation and emphasize the growing demand for a robust care infrastructure for our future. In an unprecedented show of unity of workers and leaders across the care economy, the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, MomsRising, Care in Action, and Care Can’t Wait will gather in Washington, D.C. for the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit on April 18th and 19th to sound the alarm and point the way forward. This summit, the first of its kind, launches a renewed effort to educate the nation, improve the quality of jobs, and recognize care workers for fighting for an equitable care economy that centers all workers across care industries.  

Care workers and attendees will form a community and access prominent guest speakers, which include public figures like Morena Baccarin and Members of Congress, including Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Representatives Angie Craig, Jimmy Gomez, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

NDWA and partners – along with Congressional care champions – look forward to celebrating and thanking care workers who care for our loved ones and have worked tirelessly toward receiving national acknowledgment of what our movement has known all along – that care is essential, and care can’t wait. 

Ai-jen Poo, President, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), released the following statement: 

“Caring for one another is a fundamental need; our future can’t wait. The first-ever Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit is an unprecedented gathering of care workers throughout the care economy – childcare, aging and disability care, and all direct care –  coming together to illuminate the path for a better, cared-for future. 

The foundation of a thriving economy is a strong care economy – and the beating heart of the care economy is care workers. The demand for care is only growing, much like our generational milestones. Four million children are born yearly, and another four million turn 65. We simply can not wait to transform the care landscape. Following the White House’s announcement declaring April as ‘Care Workers Recognition Month,’ we’re excited to join partners in leading the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit on April 18 and 19. 

This April, let’s commit to delivering what care workers need: good, living wage jobs and the support to thrive as the workforce that makes all other work possible. American families, especially Black and brown women, have been advocating for the necessary infrastructure to support care workers’ needs. This historic gathering will unite our voices and demand transformative change with our nation’s capital as the backdrop.

Care workers are a key pillar of our economy and lives; they’re at the frontlines of the mounting care crisis, enabling families to go to work knowing that their children, our elders, and disabled loved ones are in good hands. We cannot wait another moment to recognize their work. 

It is time to offer care, wages, benefits, and stronger work environments for our care workers. It is time to reduce the strain on our caregivers. It is time to make permanent investments to strengthen care infrastructure for our working families, loved ones, the economy, and our future. Join us.” 

About the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit

The Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit – organized by the National Domestic Workers Alliance, AFL-CIO, AFT, AFSCME, Community Change, Care Can’t Wait, and SEIU – is a historic convening of workers from throughout the care economy – childcare, aging, and disability care, and all direct care – joining together to celebrate and bring forth one voice for change. 

The Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit will feature plenary sessions with care workers, key decision-makers, and advocates. Discussions will include care workers sharing their experiences and challenges; the power of unions in a resilient economy; connecting family caregivers, workers, and consumers; addressing the care workforce crisis; and the future of care. 

Mary Kay Henry, International President, SEIU

“Every person and every family needs care workers. It’s long past time we make sure the Black, Latina, and immigrant women that power our nation’s care infrastructure have a voice on the job together in a union and are paid living wages with the benefits and support they need to thrive. Now, at the Care Can’t Wait Summit, working people are coming together to demand nothing short of an economic transformation that centers care work and care workers and charts a course towards a brighter future. During Care Workers Recognition Month and beyond, we must celebrate, protect and build power with the workers who care for us and our loved ones.”

Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO

“Care work connects us all and is the foundation of our economy, but after decades of shortsighted policies that have starved the care system of much-needed funding, care workers are struggling. Care workers, most of whom are women of color, are the hardest-working working people in our country, but their work continues to be undervalued. All working families deserve a care economy that meets our needs, and that includes care workers. America’s unions are committed to ensuring that care jobs are good union jobs with good wages, strong benefits and basic safety protections. We look forward to standing in solidarity with care workers, caregivers and our partners at the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit and to use our collective voice to finally achieve real progress.”

Randi Weingarten, President, AFT

“Care work makes all other work possible, helping children learn and grow, protecting the injured, ill and aging, and keeping our neighborhoods safe. The work of our union and the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit is to help make care jobs good, family-sustaining ones, where the folks providing the care can themselves access healthcare, as well as economic opportunity in safe work environments. Unfortunately, care work remains largely invisible: unprotected by labor laws, and all too often, informal, and unrecognized for just how important it is—and just how important care workers are to the fabric of our society and the functioning of our economy. Thankfully, President Biden understands this, and is standing up for families by declaring April Care Worker Recognition month. He’s saying care workers matter and he’s making it part of a family-first agenda to help real people access the real things they need to work, learn, and access opportunities.”

Lee Saunders, President, AFSCME 

“Whether looking after our children or supporting the elderly and people with disabilities, care workers are the backbone of our economy and our communities. For too long, this workforce, made up overwhelmingly of women and people of color, has been undervalued and overlooked, with so many care providers expected to work long hours for criminally low wages. But thanks to decades of organizing, care workers are finally getting the recognition and respect they deserve. At the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit, we will continue to discuss strategies for organizing and mobilizing our communities to improve care across the country. It’s high time care workers are treated as the everyday heroes they are.” 

Afua Atta-Mensah, Chief of Programs, Community Change

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with a dynamic group of organizations on the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit. A woefully underfunded care system has placed a huge burden on the shoulders of women, disproportionately Black and brown women, who make up the majority of childcare workers. For far too long care providers have been forced to live on poverty wages. We need long-term investments to meet the needs of our children and create a more equitable and inclusive economy. Imagine a childcare system funded on the true cost of care – one that would make sure all of our children have access to high-quality care and education, support providers who can keep the jobs they love, and open up affordable daycare slots for working parents. I’m glad that President Biden declared April as Care Workers Recognition Month. It’s going to take a commitment from all of us to build the care infrastructure we need.”

CARE CAN’T WAIT 

“The need for care workers in the country is only growing. The care workforce is rapidly increasing as our families grow, age, and flourish. However, the workforce, a workforce made predominantly of women of color, continues to face unabated challenges and deep-seated inequalities: low pay, long hours, lack of benefits, and unpaid labor. The Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit is a crucial first step in recognizing and acknowledging the critical services that our care workers deliver to families each and every day despite these barriers.

“It is time to ensure that care jobs are good jobs. It is time to make permanent investments to strengthen our care infrastructure for our families, loved ones, the economy, and our future. We simply can not wait any longer to transform the care landscape so everyone can live, work, and age with dignity.”
If you want to learn more about the Care Workers Can’t Wait Summit on April 18 and 19, please email press@domesticworkers.org.

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a White House Proclamation declaring April as Care Worker Recognition Month, highlighting the Administration’s continued commitment to strengthening the care economy and marking a critical step forward for direct care workers, caregivers, early childhood educators, and child care workers to live and work with the respect and recognition they deserve.    

The National Domestic Workers Alliance is excited to see a month dedicated to the workers who care for our loved ones and national acknowledgment of what care workers have known all along – that care is essential, and care can’t wait.

Ai-jen Poo, President, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), released the following statement: 

“We celebrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to proclaim April as ‘Care Worker Recognition Month.’ For decades, we have known that care workers are the engine of our economy and society, enabling our families to thrive by ensuring our loved ones are cared for with respect and dignity.  Now, it’s time for the rest of the country to see what we see. It’s time we recognize care work and thank care workers for the life-enabling work they do. 

This proclamation represents a turning point in our country – public recognition of work often invisibilized and undervalued,  made possible by the women of color who have organized for decades to achieve transformational change in the care industry.  We are thrilled to have a dedicated month for the workers who make everything else possible, and we welcome the opportunity to thank them on a national stage. And this April, we must go beyond acknowledgment;  we must recommit to real change. 

America’s care workers provide the care needed for older adults and people with chronic illnesses or disabilities to live independently and with dignity; they provide enriching environments for our children to grow and learn; and they understand the critical human connection necessary to provide care to our loved ones. With a growing aging population, American families need more support than ever, driving a rapid growth in the number of care jobs.  Yet, they too often earn poverty wages without benefits or adequate time off and struggle to make ends meet. The workers we count on to care for us struggle to care for their own families. We can’t recognize care workers without recognizing that reality.  That is why, this April, we will also be recommitting to action to make care jobs the living wage jobs they deserve. 

May this proclamation pave the way for generational change in the quality of jobs. May we achieve investments in home and community-based services to raise wages for the workforce, pass a National Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, and put these jobs on a path to real economic opportunity and mobility.

We join the nation in celebrating and thanking our care workers and look forward to amplifying the stories and power of care work all month and beyond.”

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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WASHINGTON – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the Fiscal Year (FY) 24 budget plan. The budget reaffirms the administration’s commitment to transforming the country’s care infrastructure. The plan features significant investments in the care economy to address the ongoing care crisis that has strained families, caregivers, and care workers. The investments outlined in the budget include $150 Billion in home and community-based services (HCBS) and prioritized funding for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave, affordable child care, and the expansion of the Child Tax Credit.

Below is a statement by Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations:

“Families nationwide are feeling the pressures of an underfunded and strained care infrastructure. Thankfully, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing action: today’s FY 2024 budget proposal release reflects how critical care is to the future of our country and the health of our economy. With this proposed budget, our country can witness a future where we are all cared for through paid family and medical leave, affordable and accessible child care, and improved home and community-based services (HCBS) that will value home care workers and prioritize families. Further, the $150 billion investment in HCBS will address the direct care workforce shortage by easing care worker turnover and delivering consistent services critical to aging adults, veterans, and disabled people. This proposal will additionally raise wages for over 2 million home care workers, the majority of whom are women of color who continue to put their livelihoods, health, and safety on the line to make ends meet. 

“All told, this budget proposal will help secure our country’s care economy and deliver overdue progress to women, working families, aging adults, people with disabilities, and especially, care workers. Almost 90 percent of the home care workforce are women; the majority are Black women, other women of color, and immigrants. As we acknowledge women’s history this month, we must recognize that strengthening the home care workforce is an equity issue. Yet, they’re among the lowest paid in the economy and are three times likelier to experience poverty than other workers, perpetuating the nationwide caregiver turnover crisis and chronic worker shortages. We’ve said this many times and will continue to say it – we all need care at some point in our lives. This budget proposal enables us to care for our loved ones while properly recognizing the vital services the care work force brings to our families across the country.”

“Investing in our care economy is both an investment in a strong economy and in our families. We are grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for sending that clear message. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to work with our congressional champions to  prioritize these investments in our care economy. We’re done waiting for the investments in care that we need and deserve.”

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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WASHINGTON – The National Domestic Workers Alliance released the following statement on the recent announcement from the Biden-Harris Administration requiring chip manufacturing companies to provide childcare plans to access federal funding: 

“Every family across the country deserves equitable access to strong care infrastructure, from childcare to aging and disability care to paid family and medical leave. However, as the  twin crisis of lack of affordable care and worker shortages grows, we applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to address it in critical industries, such as chip manufacturing. According to guidance released from the Department of Commerce, chip manufacturers must outline plans to provide affordable, accessible, and high-quality child care to access federal funding,” said Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “This intentional industrial policy will help workers, especially women, who disproportionately bear caregiving responsibilities in households,  to enter, unleash their talent, and thrive in this industry without the stress of juggling and affording child care. We applaud the Commerce Department for leading the way to effectively implement historic investments in our economy and affirming that meeting workers’ caregiving needs has to be core to any modern industrial policy in our nation.” 

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) President, Ai-jen Poo, issued the following statement today:

The National Domestic Workers Alliance, an organization dedicated to working for the respect, recognition, and rights of more than 2.2 million domestic workers, strongly supports Julie Su, the current U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor, to be nominated as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. Beyond currently serving as the U.S. Deputy Labor Secretary, Su’s impressive career as a leading civil rights lawyer and as California’s Secretary of Labor demonstrates that Su is a thoroughly qualified leader for the U.S. Department of Labor. Her track record has shown her commitment to protecting workers’ core workplace rights to ensure that all workers – including those who work in the margins of our economy – have dignity and earn fair wages for working families to achieve economic security. In addition, while as California Labor Secretary, Su convened the CA Future of Work Commission and successfully led a diverse group of stakeholders – from union leaders to academics to businesspeople and entrepreneurs – to study the systemic challenges facing workers and develop bold and innovative ideas to address those challenges. With Su’s leadership, the commission was able to propose a new Social Compact for Work and Workers, a vision for a more inclusive and equitable economy where all sectors of civil society and government have a role to play in creating pathways to good jobs.

As an Asian American woman and daughter of immigrants, Su embodies the potential this nation offers workers of the future. Su will help ensure that all jobs are good jobs and that all workers have dignity, economic security, and opportunity. This is a critical moment for our economy and workers – the U.S. Department of Labor needs a leader who will ensure continuity of leadership in the implementation of President Biden’s pro-worker economic vision, and can hit the ground running. That leader is Su, and NDWA looks forward to seeing her serve as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. We are confident she will quickly and immediately build upon the Department’s progress toward an economy that works for all of us.

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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WASHINGTON – Today, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh announced that he would soon depart from his position in the Biden-Harris Administration. The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) released the following statement following the announcement.

“The National Domestic Workers Alliance applauds Labor Secretary Walsh’s commitment to this country’s working families, including 2.2 million domestic workers. Among his many strengths, he connected with workers, understood their struggles, and advocated for their respect and dignity. Under his leadership, the Department of Labor has strengthened enforcement of workers rights and lifted up many low-wage workers who have long faced exclusions from resources and protections,” said Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “Secretary Walsh led the Department of Labor during a crucial moment in our history, where workers are more empowered, and the conversations on holding corporations and organizations accountable gained momentum. Working families were seen and recognized by his leadership at the Department of Labor. He is a continued ally to domestic and care workers and low-wage immigrant workers by advocating for stronger protections and raised visibility. He also understood that strengthening our care economy and infrastructure was  vital for the success of working families. NDWA stands with other worker organizations in supporting Deputy Secretary Julie Su to be the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. She has an impeccable track record of advocating for all workers across our economy. We look forward to working together with DOL under her leadership to protect and transform care and all other jobs into good jobs in order for every worker to achieve economic security and opportunity.”

NDWA strongly supports a future where workers, especially domestic and worker workers, are empowered to organize and be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace and beyond.

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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WASHINGTON – Tonight, President Joe Biden delivered his second State of the Union address, where he reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to the country’s working families by investing in families and investing in care. In tonight’s address, President Biden urged Congress and the nation to prioritize working families and provide paid family and medical leave; affordable child care; restore the Child Tax Credit; and expand home care services. Below is a statement from the National Domestic Workers Alliance. 

“President Biden’s second State of the Union address renewed the administration’s commitment to investing in our families and our ability to care for one another. Like other infrastructure, child care, aging and disability care, and paid leave are essential to our economic and social well-being as a nation. All of us will need care at one point in our lives. It’s exciting to have a president who understands the need for action and is urging unity to deliver a future where every person can thrive,” said Ai-jen Poo, President, and Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “We urge our leaders to address our nation’s need for a robust federal paid family and medical leave program, a strong childcare system, investment in aging and disability care, and good jobs for all domestic and care workers. 

According to the newly launched National Database of Childcare Prices, the rising cost of childcare is out of reach for many families in this country, and our loved ones are experiencing a caregiver turnover crisis. Our strained care resources highlight the urgency of increasing investments in care to support working families, strengthen jobs and our economy, and make our country even more resilient in the face of continued uncertainty and rising costs. These investments have bipartisan support because caring for your loved ones isn’t partisan, and we remind Congress of that. We thank President Biden for his support in making care a national issue. Now is the time to create bold federal investments in our Care infrastructure; we look forward to working alongside the President and with Congressional leaders to make this a reality to build an equitable future that works for everyone.” 

Jenn Stowe is available for interviews upon request. 

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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NEW YORK, NY – Today, the National Domestic Workers Alliance joins labor and domestic worker advocates and loved ones in mourning the loss of Myrtle Witbooi. Myrtle, President of the International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) and a long-time leader of the South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU), dedicated 52 years toward fighting against apartheid and for democracy and domestic workers’ rights. 

“Myrtle has been a mentor, a guide, and a model for thousands of organizers in our movement globally, including myself. She bravely fought for the rights and dignity of domestic workers until the very end. Myrtle is a hero we will forever remember as a global domestic worker and labor movement leader. She led the way towards the passage of our first global convention on domestic work and consistently fought for the respect of domestic workers across borders,” said Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. “Myrtle was the soul of our international federation; her presence in our movement has been a gift. We will continue to honor her legacy of bringing justice, fairness, and equity to our workers worldwide; most importantly, we will carry on her strategy of strengthening our movement with love and courage. We can only express sincere gratitude for sharing her life with us and this movement. We will miss Myrtle dearly and send love and compassion to her loved ones, family, IDWF, SADSAWU, and thousands of organizers who have witnessed her leadership throughout these years.”

Myrtle worked as a domestic worker under apartheid in South Africa. Her experience led her to organize women locally and, eventually, become the leader of the first global trade union federation led by women, IDWF. 

Myrtle Witbooi’s loss leaves a legacy of resilience, benevolence, and strength. On behalf of NDWA, we send the deepest condolences to her loved ones and family and to the organizations and communities she served and represented. 

National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. NDWA has created Alia, an online platform to help domestic workers access benefits, not otherwise granted to them, in addition to introducing a National Domestic Workers Bill of Rights with now-Vice President Kamala Harris and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in 2019. Learn more at www.domesticworkers.org.

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