LANSING, Mich., Sept. 5, 2025 — Last year, House Democrats, along with the state Senate, passed legislation to restore union rights for home care workers across Michigan. The legislation ensured that home care workers can negotiate better wages, benefits and working conditions. It also included establishing the Home Help Caregiver Council to oversee home caregivers and ensure they receive the necessary training and benefits. Both the executive and the Senate provided $7 million in funding to the council in their budget proposals for the 2026 fiscal year, however, the Republican House budget does not include funding.
“Home caregivers provide essential services that enable seniors and people with disabilities to live full lives at home,” said state Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley). “The Home Help Caregiver Council plays a key role in ensuring collective bargaining rights for caregivers as well as establishing standards, training and benefits for these workers. We cannot turn our backs on the people who are doing this important work, and I am disappointed, but not surprised, that House Republicans have refused to support and fund this necessary program.”
This comes as the Republican budget makes deep cuts to essential programs, slashing funding from Medicaid and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and stripping away job training opportunities with a 48% cut to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
“Unions make Michigan stronger,” said state Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park). “The Home Help Caregiver Council is essential for promoting better working conditions and benefits as well as higher pay for dedicated caregivers. The Republican budget slashes this program and other job training programs that help workers grow and Michigan thrive. This would be detrimental to workers — in the health care sector and out — and businesses alike. We should be supporting caregivers, not leaving them out to dry. I will continue to fight for workers’ right to organize for the benefits, training, and pay they deserve.”
“Across the board, House Republicans are eliminating necessary assistance both from health workers and patients. Their budget proposal cuts nearly $4 billion from Medicaid on top of cutting $1 billion from the DHHS. These cuts will not only hurt Medicaid recipients by jeopardizing the care they need, but also endanger the livelihoods of everyone who is paid through Medicaid. At a time when health care costs are already astronomical, we should be prioritizing ways to ensure better, more affordable care for the Michiganders who need it and better pay and benefits for health care workers — not cutting critical funding,” Price added.
“Home care workers fought tooth and nail for the Home Help Caregiver Council because we deserve training, support, and a voice in decisions that impact the people we care for. It was a hard-fought victory to make care better in Michigan. Now House Republicans want to tear it down and cut our pay at the same time by eliminating the wage passthrough program,” said Bionca House, a Grand Rapids home care worker. “This is an attack on caregivers and on everyone who depends on us. We are not going back, and we are not going to be silent while anti-worker politicians try to take away the progress we’ve made.”
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