October 22, 2008

Opposition Mounts To Proposition B

Opposition to the Proposition B initiative petition continues to grow. This week, the St. Joseph News-Press and the Joplin Globe newspapers published editorials encouraging voters to vote against the measure. Also, statewide
advocacy groups such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Missouri, Missouri Retailers Associa-tion, Missouri Alliance for Home Care, Missouri Association of Homes for the Aging, and Missouri Council for In-Home Services have announced their opposition.

Proposition B would create a new state agency called the Quality Home Care Council. The council is authorized to establish the "terms and conditions of employment" for workers hired to provide personal care services -
housekeeping, bathing and grooming assistance, dressing, and meal preparation - under current state programs that allow disabled consumers to supervise personal care workers paid with state funds.

Proposition B creates a process for these personal care attendants to be represented by a labor union and engage in collective bargaining with the state through the Quality Home Care Council. Proposition B was placed on the
ballot by initiative petition and is being promoted and funded by the Service Employ-ees International Union. SEIU has been successful in promoting similar initiatives in other states.

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