The 1199 bargaining unit of nearly 60,000 Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) in Massachusetts—who do the work of Home Care in that state—have negotiated a tentative agreement including their largest ever wage increase in a single year.

The new contract maintains a 10% pandemic premium to keep the starting wage at $17.71, which was set to expire on June 30, 2022. The rate will increase further to $17.80 on January 1, 2023, and $18 on April 1, 2023.

The contract also includes anti-discrimination language including the formation of a joint racial justice committee to look at and address ongoing inequities within the PCA program for workers and consumers. This committee will report to the Labor Management Committee and the PCA Workforce Council for implementation.

1199 Magazine: May / June 2022