Here is Rajiv’s insight into the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) proposed training legislation, in which he takes into account 2 articles published this week in the Seattle Times… one on the News pages, the other on the Opinion Page.
“I agree with the position that Initiative 1163 does not have the best interests of Washington seniors at heart. SEIU has only their membership in mind, not the impact on the broader community. The problem is not necessarily training, or lack thereof, for Washington’s healthcare workers. The problem is this we are in a time when Medicaid is reducing funding to adult family homes, home care agencies, nursing homes and others. Therefore, it is not rational at the same time to propose a bill that mandates these same groups take on additional expenditures, which they will be required to do if the initiative passes. I agree that the healthcare workers are underpaid and therefore create a perpetual revolving door environment, but now is NOT the time for people to be selfish and look out for their interests over the welfare of a senior community facing cutbacks in services. Finally, with the recent focus on the plight of victims in the long term care world in the newspapers and media, businesses are being forced to recognize the issue. A better solution at the current time would be to hold businesses responsible for poor performance, but not add costs to those providers who are already providing excellent care. I would urge people to defeat initiative 1163”.
