Local News in Brief : Home-Care Protest

Several hundred home-care workers demonstrated Friday outside the County Hall of Administration downtown, demanding that county officials recognize Service Employees International Union Local 434 as their legal bargaining representative. Union officials then presented county officials with cards they said had been signed by 12,000 home-care workers authorizing the union to represent them.

The workers, who care for the elderly and disabled in private homes throughout the county, have been seeking union recognition from the county for some time. However, the county takes the position that the workers are not county employees but are employed by the elderly and disabled people whom they help.