Multipronged $50 million campaign backed by labor aims to prioritize child and senior care

A New Labor-Backed Campaign Aims to Prioritize Child and Senior Care Legislation

A new labor-backed campaign, called “Care Can’t Wait,” plans to allocate a minimum of $50 million before the 2024 election to bring child and senior care legislation back to the forefront. These initiatives were previously removed from President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda due to opposition from Republicans and moderate Democrats. The campaign also seeks to secure billions of dollars in new spending for child and senior care.

Support from Labor Unions and Advocacy Groups

• The “Care Can’t Wait” campaign is supported by prominent labor unions, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
• Left-leaning advocacy groups and super PACs, such as Priorities USA, are also part of the campaign’s coalition.

Emphasizing the Importance of Care Work

“Care work makes all other work possible, helping children learn and grow, protecting the injured, ill and aging, and keeping our neighborhoods safe,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the teachers union.

The campaign aims to highlight the significance of care work, which often goes unnoticed and lacks proper labor protections. Care workers play a crucial role in society and the economy.

Prioritizing Senior and Child Care in Biden’s Agenda

President Biden has advocated for increased federal support for senior and child care, proposing a $775 billion investment over 10 years. However, his agenda faced opposition from moderate Democrats and was ultimately set aside in favor of infrastructure and climate legislation.

With Republicans regaining control of the House in 2022, Biden’s care agenda was effectively halted.

Challenges for Future Progress

To make significant progress in 2025, President Biden would not only need to be re-elected but also require Democrats to regain control of the House and maintain the Senate. This presents a challenging task considering Democrats’ uncertain prospects in the upcoming Senate contests.

Strategies of the “Care Can’t Wait” Campaign

• The campaign’s coalition plans to launch traditional advertising campaigns in key battleground states.
• They aim to engage with 10 million infrequent voters.
• Town halls will be organized for presidential and Senate candidates.
• New research and polling will be commissioned to demonstrate the popularity of their policy.
• “Care immersions” will be offered for candidates to experience a day working alongside family and professional caregivers.

“Through Care Can’t Wait Action, we can educate and mobilize our communities, sending a powerful message that care is on the ballot in 2024, ensuring that providers and the families who depend on them have the support they need every day,” said AFSCME president Lee Saunders.

Addressing the Care Crisis

Advocates argue that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the urgent need for better support for family care providers, as well as the necessity for more care workers and improved compensation for them.

“Our country is in a care crisis — families from every walk of life are grappling with the challenge of accessing high-quality, affordable care. Meanwhile, the largely women of color workforce who provide this vital care are barely getting paid enough to get by,” said Fatima Gross Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund.

About the Author

Alex Seitz-Wald is a senior politics reporter for NBC News.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The issues highlighted in the article relate to poverty, health and well-being, education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, and peace, justice, and strong institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
• Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
• Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage, and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality.
• Target 11.3: By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated, and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries.
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

The article’s content aligns with these specific targets under the relevant SDGs.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These include:

• Indicator 1.3.1: Proportion of population covered by social protection floors/systems, by sex, distinguishing children, unemployed persons, older persons, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, newborns, work-injury victims, and the poor and vulnerable.
• Indicator 3.8.1: Coverage of essential health services (defined as the average coverage of essential services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and service capacity and access, among the general and the most disadvantaged population).
• Indicator 4.2.1: Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning, and psychosocial well-being, by sex.
• Indicator 5.4.1: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age, and location.
• Indicator 8.5.1: Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age group, and persons with disabilities.
• Indicator 10.4.1: Labor share of GDP, comprising wages and social protection transfers.
• Indicator 11.3.1: Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate.
• Indicator 16.3.3: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.

These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table