Lo que L@s Trabajador@s y Cuidador@s del Hogar Requerimos

In English, Inmigración by Ilse Grijalva

Durante el mes de Marzo nos reunimos con algunos de nuestros  Senadores, Congresistas  y representantes para hablar de cómo l@S trabajador@s y cuidador@s del hogar también  merecemos la oportunidad de que nos apoyen para ser incluidos en la reforma migratoria y el camino a la ciudadanía

Desde tiempo inmemorable hasta hoy, l@s trabajador@s hemos prestado los servicios de cuidado a otras personas y/o a nuestros propios familiares de cualquier edad y/o con habilidades especiales,  ya sea en nuestro hogar  o en el de quien solicita nuestros servicios y ya es tiempo para que  nosotros tengamos la protección de las leyes laborales porque nunca hemos contado con un beneficio de este tipo. Esto es así, porque nuestra labor no es reconocida legalmente como un trabajo y  estamos  expuestos a sufrir discriminación.

Además la importancia del porque debemos ser incluidos en la reforma migratoria, es para mejorar nuestra seguridad económica, física, mental y emocional, de esta manera ofrecer un servicio de calidad a la persona que lo requiera para que ambos tengamos una vida digna y de calidad.

En Estados Unidos hay gran demanda de quienes se dedican a estos oficios y sin embargo estos trabajos de atención domiciliaria son de muy bajos salarios, abusos, sin ningún beneficio, bastante estrés y todo tipo de riesgos.

Personalmente participe en una reunión con la representante del Senador de Nuevo México Tom Udall,  Sara Cobb,  donde expusimos la necesidad de crear servicios accesibles a largo plazo y apoyar a los trabajador@s y cuidador@s del hogar, ya que nuestro estado se encuentra entre los principales demandantes de estas ocupaciones en el país y necesitamos estar preparados para este rápido crecimiento que ya estamos experimentando.

Nosotros como cuidadores domestic@s, necesitamos tener acceso a entrenamientos a un costo accesible, así como las formas e información que se requieran, todo lo anterior en español, ya que la gran mayoría de quienes prestamos este servicio somos hispanos.

Y como algunos de nuestros estudiantes trabajan arduamente como trabajadores y cuidadores del hogar, la semana pasada,  durante los días Miércoles  24  y Jueves 25 de Abril, celebramos los proyectos finales de las clases en Encuentro y estamos muy orgullosos de cada uno de los alumnos que participaron, incluso sus hijos que los acompañan durante sus clases en las que participan. Aquí una pequeña muestra de tan bellos, grandes y dedicados proyectos de los estudiantes. Queremos resaltar que nuestros estudiantes trabajan duro en nuestros salones y en la comunidad con sus manos que están cuidando personas en necesidad y ayudando formar Nuevo México en un lugar más fuerte y saludable para todos. Firma esta peticion para apoyar una Declaracion de Derechos Laborales de L@s Trabajador@s domesticos.


What We as Domestic Workers and Caregivers Need

During the month of March we met with some of our Senators, Congress people and representatives to speak on how domestic workers and caregivers deserve the opportunity for support through inclusion in migration reform and the path to citizenship.

Since time immemorial to our current day, we as workers have lent our services of caregiving to other people and/or to our own family members of all ages and/or with special abilities, be it in our own home or from whoever solicits our services and we need the protection from labor laws of which we receive nothing of the sort.  This is because, our labor is not legally recognized as a job and we’re left exposed to suffer discrimination.

Additionally, it is important that we should be included in migration reform to ensure better economic, physical, mental and emotional well-being, in that way we can offer a quality service to the people in need so that everyone lives a life of quality and dignity.

In the United States, there is a high demand for those of us working in this occupation and still these jobs of domestic care are of very low pay, abuse, with no benefits, high stress and of high amounts of risks.

I personally participated in a meeting with representative of New Mexico’s Senator Tom Udall, Sara Cobb, wherein we exposed the need for creating long term accessible services and support for all domestic workers and caregivers, knowing that in the United States we are finding ourselves among a principal demand for this occupation and we need to be prepared for more rapid growth; something we are already experiencing.

We as domestic caregivers need to have access to all types of trainings at an accessible cost, for example, for the forms and information they require, that these be in Spanish as well, because we know that a large majority of us doing these services are Spanish speaking.

And since many of our students work arduously as domestic workers and caregivers, we just had our Encuentro classes final projects celebration last week, April 24th and 25th, and I just want to emphasize how proud we are at Encuentro for our student’s participation, including their children who accompany them daily to their classes. This event was a small display of the beautiful, great and dedicated student projects. We want to highlight that everyday our students work hard in the classrooms and in the community with hands that are caring for those in need and helping shape our state into a stronger, healthier place for all.

Support our work by signing this petition for a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights:

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New Mexico Caregiver-Advocates

Caregivers Helping to Shape Federal Policy

Dear Members and Friends,

Representatives of New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition (NMDCC) met recently with U.S. Senator Tom Udall’s staff on the critical and growing availability of affordable long-term services, and the need to support home and professional caregivers who do this crucial work.

Caregivers are working with the New Mexico congressional delegation and state officials to develop policies to advance the field of direct care and the quality of care for those they serve. The meeting with Senator Udall’s staff included caregivers of persons with developmental disabilities, those who serve persons who are elderly and care recipients too.

From left: Paula Sutherland, family caregiver; Paula’s son, Samuel; Reverend Holly Beaumont,  Interfaith Worker Justice; Sarah Cobb, Field Representative, Office of U.S. Senator Tom Udall; Adrienne R. Smith, President and CEO, NMDCC; Iliana Lopez, Secretary, NMDCC; (not pictured) Richard J. Bela, senior citizen and Volunteer, NMDCC.

NMDCC urged Senator Udall’s support for Senate legislation expected to be introduced soon for a comprehensive approach to expanding and supporting a strong home care workforce, making long-term services and supports affordable and accessible in communities.

Direct care workforce needs in New Mexico, like the nation, are among the top two fastest-growing occupations. As baby boomers age and people with disabilities are increasingly integrated into our communities, the availability of affordable long-term home care can mean the difference between living safely at home as a member of the community or having to move into an institutionalized setting.

The New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition, along with Direct Care Alliance and hundreds of other organizations across the country, is part of a national coalition called Caring Across Generations, a campaign to transform long-term care in the United States.

Our policy work continues next month in Washington, D.C. where we will help develop and support solutions at the national and state levels to improve long-term care and the workforce that provides these invaluable services to the people of New Mexico.

Join us in this and in other conversations of the New Mexico Direct Caregivers Coalition.