New York City home care workers and labor organizations, after enduring a hunger strike, rallied over 300 New Yorkers outside City Hall on May 1st to protest and demand the abolishment of the 24-hour work system. They called on City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to pass the Intro 615 bill to end the round-the-clock work system and hung red ribbons with political demands at the entrance of City Hall.
State Assemblyman Harvey Epstein stated in a release, “The government forcing workers to work 24 hours a day and skimming off a billion dollars is a system that applies to almost exclusively immigrant women of color. We know how abusive this is, and both the state and city councils have a responsibility to stop this from happening.”
Assemblyman Kim Deuk-sik shared that before his father passed away from cancer, when additional home care time was needed at home, he called the insurance company to address the issue and refused the 24-hour work system. Instead, he requested caregivers on a rotating schedule. However, it was not until the day after his father’s passing that the insurance company called back saying they could provide caregivers on a rotational basis.
Kim Deuk-sik emphasized that the home care system is broken, with caregivers being exploited to work uncompensated hours every day, primarily targeting immigrant labor. He urged for a swift end to such practices, stating that such incidents should never happen in America.
Councilman Christopher Marte, the lead sponsor of the Intro 615 bill, stated, “I have spoken with all my colleagues in the City Council, and they have indicated that if this bill goes to a vote, they will vote in favor of it.”
During the rally, former home care worker Deng Jianhua revealed being forced to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week caring for patients, leading to a reaggravation of an old leg injury. She was diagnosed with “traumatic arthritis” and required a hip replacement to regain normal function.
Representatives from State Assemblyman Lee Wing-en’s office, the Brooklyn Democrats Club, the Green Street Democrats Club, the DSA Feminist Working Group, the Chinese Labor Union, and others attended the rally in solidarity with the cause.