Homecare providers spoke out in front of the Sonoma County Administration Building Tuesday morning, asking County Supervisors for help in finding out details of a secret union agreement by SEIU-UHW that could reduce their wages and benefits over the next two years.

Providers will never be shown the actual agreement between SEIU-UHW and the County, and will only be allowed to vote after sitting through a sales pitch by union officials. The agreement would reportedly allow the County to slash pay by $2 an hour just one year after the contract is ratified, and take away workers’ Kaiser health plan and replace it with a cheaper insurance scheme that healthcare advocates have called on the Attorney General to investigate

Outside the County Building, providers called for a transparent voting process in which workers are fully informed, and a neutral third party to observe the ballot count to prevent SEIU-UHW officials from manipulating the results.

For previous contracts, details were mailed to all homecare providers before a mail-ballot vote, which allowed all members to participate in the decision. Homecare workers often provide constant care for elderly or disabled consumers and most cannot find a replacement on short notice to attend a lengthy ratification meeting. The dramatic change to the voting process is the result of a hostile takeover of the local union by national SEIU officials.

Here’s another video of Sonoma County homecare providers speaking out about the secret agreement.