Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Long-term care workers from 37 counties in California have combined into the largest local union in the country, the Service Employees International Union announced Tuesday.

Approximately 280,000 home care and nursing home workers will unite under the new statewide SEIU Local 2015. Union officials said this will help “lead the fight.”

“Through our new statewide long-term care local, we’ll have the strength necessary to ensure the delivery of quality care while bringing meaningful change and dignity to the lives of our long-term care workers and those to whom we provide care,” provisional president of SEIU Local 2015 Laphonza Butler said.