As a result of our action, we’ve won funding in the state budget to raise pay for DSPs by as much as $1/hour starting January 2025! 

Under the new budget, DSP providers are required to put $.75 directly toward our base wages with the remaining $.25 being flexibly used to improve DSP jobs through things like seniority increases or bonuses.

This was a challenging budget climate, and yet we were still able to win raises at a time when many other state programs will face cuts. This victory was made possible because our members stuck together and took action to make our voices heard! 

While we were demanding more, I am proud of the work we put in and the progress we made. Along with our calls for higher pay, we also joined a coalition demanding state lawmakers adopt revenue solutions so we can fund the vital services our communities count on.

As I mentioned previously, some state programs will unfortunately face cuts due to revenue shortfalls. But because we stuck together and made our voices heard, our legislators got the message: our work is essential. Everybody in our community deserves dignified care, regardless of their abilities or the amount of money they have. 

We will be headed back to the bargaining table in the coming months to implement as much of the $1 as possible to workers’ wages, so stay tuned more information on that process.

Our fight continues for $25/hour, but this victory is testament to what we can achieve when we stick together through our union.