Reflecting on the Collective Power of Domestic Workers and Care Workers This Labor Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 2, 2024
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]

Reflecting on the Collective Power of Domestic Workers and Care Workers This Labor Day

ATLANTA – As we celebrate Labor Day 2024, Care in Action reflects on domestic and care workers’ immense contributions to our labor movement and our nation’s political future. This Labor Day comes on the heels of an unprecedented moment for care workers, who were acknowledged and represented at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Their voices, stories, and demands were heard on a national stage, and their representation will carry forward into the ballot box, driving a movement for change.

“Care in Action has long advocated that investing in care is not just a moral imperative but an economic necessity. The care economy, which includes both paid and unpaid caregiving, is valued at up to $6 trillion—nearly a quarter of the total U.S. GDP. Yet, this country continues to face an ongoing care crisis, a crisis that has only deepened since the pandemic exposed the fragility of our social safety net.

This year’s Democratic National Convention recognized the critical role that domestic workers play in our economy and our society. Domestic workers, care workers, caregivers, and care recipients form a growing electorate that is increasingly vocal and organized. They saw themselves represented on the national stage, and they are ready to bring that representation to the ballot box in November.

The Biden-Harris Administration has consistently shown a commitment to addressing this care crisis. From declaring April as ‘Care Workers Recognition Month’ to supporting policies that enhance wages and improve working conditions for care workers, this administration understands that the future of our economy depends on a robust and well-supported care infrastructure. Further, the Harris-Walz campaign has centered on ‘an opportunity economy’ that elevates the pillars of the care agenda: paid leave, childcare, pre-K, aging and disability care, and good jobs and wages for those providing care.

In contrast, the Trump-Vance ticket offers no such vision for the future. Their Project 2025 agenda is a blueprint for disaster. It proposes slashing essential care programs, from eliminating Head Start and cutting Medicaid benefits to dismantling the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and increasing Medicare prescription drug prices. Such policies would have disastrous and deadly consequences for millions of Americans who rely on these vital services.

The value of care work cannot be overstated. In 2021 alone, the care provided by millions of unpaid family caregivers across the U.S. was valued at $600 billion—an astounding figure that surpasses the total out-of-pocket U.S. healthcare costs. Yet, despite their contributions, care workers—who are predominantly women and people of color—remain among the lowest-paid workers in the country.

The care crisis is not just a labor issue; it is a racial and gender justice issue. By 2031, the direct care workforce is projected to add more than 1 million new jobs, yet without significant investment, these jobs will continue to be underpaid and undervalued. The aging population will only exacerbate this demand, with the number of adults aged 85 and older expected to nearly triple by 2060. The ratio of available caregivers to those in need is shrinking, and immediate action is necessary for the care infrastructure in this country to thrive.

As we carry on the legacy of the 1881 Atlanta Washerwoman Strike, where the labor movement intertwined with the battle for domestic workers’ rights, we acknowledge the shoulders we stand upon.

On this Labor Day, we remind the country— domestic workers, care workers, and working families are the pulse of this nation, the foundation of its progress, and the architects of its transformation.”

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