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Organizing Home Care: Low-Waged Workers in the Welfare State

Author

Listed:
  • Eileen Boris

    (University of California–Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; 805-893-2727 boris@womst.ucsb.edu)

  • Jennifer Klein

    (Department of History, Yale University, P.O. Box 208324, New Haven, CT 06520; 203-432-1391; jennifer.klein@yale.edu)

Abstract

Unionization of home care has depended on the state location of the occupation. Government social policies and funding created home care, shaping the structure of the industry and the conditions of work. The welfare nexus, linking old age, disability, health, and welfare policies, however, also transformed care hidden in the home into a public service. Through case studies of California and Oregon, leaders in deinstitutionalizing care of the elderly and disabled, we explore the social struggles that forced the state to recognize its invisible workforce. The home location of personal attendants and other health aides has entailed not only organizing challenges but policy innovation as well. Using the welfare state location of the labor, workers allied with consumers to develop the public authority as a newstructure of representation. The history of home care shows that social welfare and health policy have long been entangled with labor policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Eileen Boris & Jennifer Klein, 2006. "Organizing Home Care: Low-Waged Workers in the Welfare State," Politics & Society, , vol. 34(1), pages 81-108, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:polsoc:v:34:y:2006:i:1:p:81-108
    DOI: 10.1177/0032329205284757
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    Cited by:

    1. Guy MUNDLAK & Hila SHAMIR, 2014. "Organizing migrant care workers in Israel: Industrial citizenship and the trade union option," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 153(1), pages 93-116, March.

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