It’s time for America to give our home care workers the pay and respect they deserve

On Jeff Duncan

In a recent letter U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan praised President Donald Trump’s achievements during his presidency. Fine, but Duncan did not touch on Trump’s lack of effort to support life for all of us on Earth — or to sustain the health of the Earth herself.

Can Duncan name a single thing that the most powerful man on Earth has done to actually protect the Earth?

Larry Creel, Hemingway

On Trump

I believe that President Donald Trump will spend his remaining time in office seeking revenge on those who tried to get him impeached. I also believe that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will spend all of their time canceling out each other’s initiatives. The end result? Nothing will get done.

As long as Trump, McConnell and Pelosi remain our leaders, our enemies are in the best position they have ever been in. They can simply say, “We don’t have to do anything. We’ve already won!”

David Humphries, Irmo

On The Pro Act

The U.S. House of Representatives has just passed the PRO Act, a bill that has been pushed by Big Labor to boost the number of dues-paying union members at the expense of workers, entrepreneurs and small and local businesses.

I believe that this legislation would hamper the South Carolina construction industry — which employs more than 104,000 people — and discriminate against the 97% of construction workers in South Carolina who choose not to join a union.

In addition this legislation would place a wedge between the strong relationship between employer and employee that is so vital to any successful business.

Allen Amsler, Columbia

On home care work

Within the next decade there will be more than 1 million South Carolina residents over the age of 65, and many will need daily care that their families simply cannot provide. I have been a home care and hospice worker for the past 15 years, and I currently have patients throughout the Conway area from Pawleys Island up to Little River.

The people I care for can be fragile and vulnerable; many are alone without family. Even when there are family members present, they are often overwhelmed, stressed and grieving. I must be strong for them all.

I truly believe God has put me here to improve our seniors’ health, emotional well-being and quality of life. But it is very difficult for me to make ends meet because I only earn $13 an hour. And because I’m expected to care for up to 11 patients a day in an eight-hour shift, I’m always rushing. In order to provide good care, I often work unpaid hours.

Because of the rapidly aging population, home care is one of the fastest growing jobs in America, but substandard pay and working conditions are causing a severe workforce shortage. Currently 90% of home care workers are women, and the majority are women of color like me and my mother before me. In order to ensure quality care for aging South Carolinians, we must transform home care from a low-wage job into a sustainable career.

Sadly, in South Carolina and 40 other states, many home care workers are denied the freedom to join a union. Working together, union members in other states have raised home care wages to $15 an hour and above while cutting down on turnover and attracting new caregivers into the profession. They have also won affordable health benefits and training opportunities so that workers can hone their skills and advance up the economic ladder.

For the sake of our seniors, it is time to value home care workers for the vital role we play in society.

Kim Thomas, Conway

On Trump’s critics

I have a suggestion for the letter writer who criticized South Carolina Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott for voting to acquit President Donald Trump: just move to California with the others who think that only a politician — and not a business person — should be our president.

The letter writer and others like him are still trying to punish Trump for beating their candidate in 2016.

Annie Bates, Irmo