Shasta Home Care Workers Declare Labor Impasse, File Unfair Practice Charge Against County

SEIU 2015 members say supervisors’ reversal on a modest wage increase has worsened a severe caregiver shortage affecting thousands of elderly, disabled, and veteran residents

REDDING, Calif. — March 27, 2026 — After more than a year of contract negotiations, Shasta County’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers have declared a formal labor impasse with the county and filed an unfair labor practice charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB).

The move comes just days after dozens of purple-shirted caregivers packed the Shasta County Board of Supervisors chambers on March 24, urging supervisors to address what the union calls a worsening caregiver crisis driven by stagnant wages.

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More than 4,500 IHSS workers provide essential in-home care — paramedical services, personal assistance, and household support — to more than 4,700 older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans across Shasta County. Union leaders say low pay is driving workers away, forcing more clients into costly hospitals or nursing facilities and straining county and state budgets.

“This isn’t just a ‘job,’” said IHSS provider Susan McMains during public comment. “It takes a person with a huge heart to remain in a position with no option for advancement, no 401k, no vision, no dental, no medical insurance, no paid vacation days. The work we do keeps families together… the least Shasta Supervisors can do is pay us enough to provide for ourselves and families.”

County Rescinded Wage Offer Without Explanation

Negotiations between SEIU Local 2015 and the county began in December 2024. In March 2025, supervisors offered a 40-cent-per-hour wage supplement increase over two years. The county reaffirmed that offer as recently as July and August 2025. Then, on Dec. 19, 2025 — just six days before Christmas — the Board of Supervisors abruptly rescinded it, citing “changes” in financial circumstances tied to challenges in the state IHSS funding pool and federal budget cuts under House Resolution 1 (the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act”).

The union says the county provided no documentation explaining why those same financial pressures did not prevent the offer from being reaffirmed months earlier. SEIU 2015 Chief Negotiator Laticia Guerrero called the reversal a violation of state labor law.

“Shasta Supervisors’ actions at the bargaining table are a violation of state law, and we will not stand by as they continue to devalue Shasta’s IHSS workforce and exacerbate the healthcare crisis,” Guerrero said. “Our members and the hundreds of Shasta residents who support us will continue showing up and escalating our actions until this Board follows the law, bargains with us in good faith, and delivers an IHSS union contract that meets the needs of our county.”

What Happens Next: Fact-Finding and Possible $1 Million Penalty

By declaring impasse, SEIU 2015 has triggered a state-mediated process under PERB rules. A three-person fact-finding panel — one representative from the union, one from the county, and a neutral chairperson — will now review the evidence presented during negotiations and issue non-binding recommended settlement terms.

If the panel recommends terms more favorable to workers than the county’s current “no wage increase” position, and supervisors still refuse to agree, Shasta County could face a roughly $1 million annual penalty from the state. That penalty would reduce funding for a wide range of social services, including home care, children’s services, foster care, and adoption programs.

Separately, PERB will investigate the unfair labor practice charge. The process could take months and may lead to hearings or further legal action if the charge is upheld.

IHSS workers in California are public-sector employees and generally cannot strike, so the union’s leverage rests on the fact-finding process, public pressure, and the threat of state financial penalties. Union organizers say they will continue escalating actions — including more public appearances at Board meetings — until a fair contract is reached.

Local Stakes: A Caregiving Crisis in Shasta County

Shasta’s IHSS providers currently earn $18.50 per hour, slightly below the statewide average of about $18.86. SEIU 2015 argues the gap, combined with the lack of benefits, has created a recruitment and retention crisis at the exact moment Shasta’s aging population needs more in-home care than ever.

Field organizer Jessica Machado told reporters before the March 24 meeting: “What we do is vital work. We take care of people who are disabled and elderly and cannot care for themselves. We keep them from going into hospitals because we make sure that their situations are taken care of.”

County officials have not publicly detailed how they plan to address the growing shortage or the union’s demands ahead of the next fiscal budget cycle.

Shasta Unfiltered will continue tracking the PERB proceedings, any fact-finding panel hearings, and potential impacts on county services and the local budget. This story is developing.