By the Unified Savers Editorial Team
Wage rates are subject to final bargaining outcomes. Contact SEIU 2015 at 1-877-734-8673 or the San Bernardino County IHSS Public Authority at (909) 386-8703 for the latest contract status.
SEIU 2015 and San Bernardino County opened formal IHSS collective bargaining on June 30, 2026, with the union seeking a wage increase from the current $18.25 per hour to $21.00 by January 2027. The county’s initial counter-proposal, presented at the same session, offered $19.50 per hour by January 2027. With the current contract expiring August 31, both sides face a tight nine-week window to reach agreement. The next bargaining session is scheduled for July 14 at the San Bernardino County Government Center.
What’s at Stake: 22,000 Providers and 38,000 Recipients
San Bernardino County operates the fourth-largest IHSS program in California. Approximately 22,000 active providers deliver care to roughly 38,000 recipients across a service area that spans more than 20,000 square miles — from high-desert communities like Victorville and Apple Valley to Inland Empire cities including San Bernardino, Fontana, and Ontario.
The gap between SEIU’s $21 demand and the county’s $19.50 counter is $1.50 per hour. For a provider working 120 hours per month, that difference amounts to $180 per month, or roughly $2,160 per year. Over a two-year contract, the cumulative gap per provider exceeds $4,300.
Why SEIU Is Targeting $21
SEIU 2015’s $21 per hour target aligns with AB 2247, the statewide IHSS minimum wage bill authored by Assembly Member Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles), currently in the Senate Human Services Committee. The union argues San Bernardino should not wait for state legislation to move, particularly given the wage gap with neighboring counties:
- Los Angeles County: $19.10/hour (effective July 1, 2026)
- San Bernardino County: $18.25/hour (current)
- Riverside County: $18.10/hour (contract expiring September 2026)
San Bernardino and Riverside providers frequently work in the same communities along the county boundary. The current $0.15 hourly gap between the two counties provides minimal competitive incentive. SEIU argues that pushing San Bernardino to $21 — well above LA County’s current rate — would reduce provider turnover and address vacancy rates that have topped 20% in some high-desert service areas.
County’s Position
San Bernardino County cited state budget pressures and slower-than-projected property tax growth in presenting its $19.50 counter. Under the IHSS cost-sharing formula, counties fund approximately 15–17% of IHSS wage costs, with the remainder split between state and federal Medicaid. At the county’s proposed $19.50, the county’s incremental annual wage cost would increase by approximately $8.2 million. SEIU’s $21 demand would raise that to approximately $14.1 million annually.
The county’s proposal structures the increase in two steps: $19.00 effective October 1, 2026, and $19.50 effective July 1, 2027, for a two-year agreement. SEIU has rejected the phased timeline, pressing for the full $21 rate to be reached no later than January 2027.
What If No Deal by August 31?
If the parties reach the August 31 contract expiration without an agreement, California law allows existing wage terms to continue month-to-month while bargaining proceeds. Providers would not see wages cut, but a raise would be delayed until a new contract is ratified and implemented.
A work stoppage is not on the table. IHSS providers are classified as public sector workers under California’s Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, which restricts strike activity for workers in direct care roles.
SEIU 2015 plans to escalate public pressure through the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, which holds final approval over any contract. Providers wishing to speak during public comment can attend board meetings at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays at 385 N. Arrowhead Avenue, San Bernardino.
What This Means for San Bernardino Providers
Even the county’s current offer of $19.50 would represent a 6.8% raise — meaningful for workers who have not seen a significant increase since the 2024 contract. At $21, the raise would be 15%, the largest single-contract wage increase in San Bernardino County IHSS history.
The outcome of these talks will directly shape the county’s ability to recruit and retain providers in an Inland Empire labor market where competition from logistics, warehousing, and healthcare facility jobs intensifies every year.
Additional Resources on Unified Savers:
- SEIU 2015 Dignity Wages Campaign — Statewide wage campaign context
- IHSS Pay Rate California 2026 — County-by-county wage comparison
- IHSS Union Benefits SEIU 2015 — Benefits tied to SEIU membership
- Los Angeles IHSS Wage Increase July 2026 — Neighboring county wage context