Care Economy
What is the care economy?
At some point in our lives, we all will give or receive care. From domestic chores like cooking, washing, cleaning, and taking care of family members, to child and elder care and care for those who are ill or who have disabilities, care work is often invisible, undervalued and underpaid, and falls disproportionately on women and girls.
The care economy is all of the paid and unpaid labor and services that support caregiving in all its forms. Care work makes all other work and economic activity possible – we can’t do our jobs if our loved ones don’t have access to the care they need.
Shining light on the often invisible industry
While we often think of traditional brick and mortar infrastructure like roads and bridges as a means to get to work, for millions of families, the bridge to work depends on a different kind of infrastructure – the invisible web of workers who care for our children, seniors, sick and disabled family members and friends.
One million home care jobs will be needed in the next decade alone -- but we have to make sure those jobs are good jobs.
Job quality matters.
Home care is our nation’s fastest growing profession, but Pennsylvania home care workers earn an average hourly wage of only $12.17. And, the changing climate makes care work even harder – reducing the accessibility and quality of services and compounding the racial and gender inequality that the burden of unpaid care work creates.
We must turn these care jobs into good, union jobs for our millions of care workers – creating the foundation for a new, inclusive middle class. We need investments that ensure that every worker has access to a good job that improves their lives and helps them keep their family safe and well.
By joining together across race and place, we can demand the policies and investments that keep our families safe and well while making this a place where all of us can thrive.
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