Home Care Workers Rally Against 24-Hour Shifts at NYC City Hall on May Day

By Matthew Vickers

*Published: 2026-05-11*


*(Xavier Diaz / AP)*

On May 1, 2026, home care workers in New York City gathered outside City Hall to protest 24-hour work shifts, marking International Workers’ Day. The event drew attention to ongoing debates over labor conditions in the home care sector.

International Workers’ Day, observed globally on May 1, commemorates labor movements, including the 1886 protests in the United States for an eight-hour workday. Those demonstrations, which involved hundreds of thousands of workers, led to events such as the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where a rally was disrupted by police, a bomb exploded, and subsequent trials resulted in executions that influenced the holiday's establishment.

On this May Day, approximately 500 home care workers, organizers, and supporters assembled in New York City despite cool, sunny weather and the lack of a federal holiday. The group, including participants of various ages, races, genders, and affiliations with organizations such as the Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association, called for City Hall to end 24-hour shifts and replace them with a 12-hour maximum.

Speakers, including workers, organizers, and elected officials, addressed the 24-hour shifts as well as issues in Chinatown and Lower Manhattan, such as healthcare access, housing costs, and proposed developments including a jail complex. Several speakers, including workers, criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described socialist elected in 2025, for not supporting their efforts. They also referenced Governor Kathy Hochul in connection with state-level policies affecting the sector.

Cai Qiong Liu, a home care worker who said she worked 24-hour shifts for nine years, stated to the crowd, “We’ve had enough of Mamdani’s hypocrisy. Hiding behind a ‘socialist’ banner, while forcing women of color to work 24-hour workdays.” Liu also told Documented, a news outlet, that she is owed more than $100,000 in back wages, though this claim has not been independently verified.

New York state law includes an exemption allowing 24-hour shifts for home care workers. Under this provision, workers receive a minimum wage—$19.65 per hour in New York City as of January 1, 2026—and are allocated three hours for meals and five hours for sleep. However, they are compensated for only 13 hours of the 24-hour period. Reports from workers indicate instances of wage theft and disruptions to the allotted sleep time, often due to clients needing care overnight.

The home care workforce in New York City numbers around 130,000, and the sector is one of the fastest-growing parts of the local economy. Workers interviewed at the rally, including Yunfang Zhang, who has worked in the field for 12 years, described challenges with the shifts. Zhang said she often worked four consecutive 24-hour shifts, handling tasks such as housework, cooking, laundry, and nighttime assistance like turning clients every two hours. She attributed health issues, including hand swelling shown in a 2022 photo, to the demands of the job. Zhang became involved in advocacy efforts in 2022 after a friend informed her of growing worker organizing.

Multiple workers reported that sleep was frequently interrupted by client needs, contributing to fatigue, injuries, and isolation. The rally highlighted these experiences amid broader concerns in the sector.

The push to limit shifts has persisted for years, led by groups like the Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association. Politically, the issue gained traction after limited attention during former Mayor Eric Adams's administration. In 2022, then-City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams did not bring an initial version of the No More 24 Act to a vote. In mid-March 2026, several workers began a hunger strike outside City Hall demanding a vote on the legislation, now known as Intro. 303. On the second day, current Council Speaker Adrienne Menin addressed the protesters, committing to a vote without alterations to the bill's language.

The bill proposes eliminating 24-hour shifts, instituting 12-hour shifts, and capping weekly hours at 56. It would also authorize the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to investigate violations and impose penalties. Sponsors include Council Members Chi Ossé, Christopher Marte (the bill's lead author), and Public Advocate Jumanne Williams. Marte, who spoke at the rally, urged council colleagues to support the measure, stating, “Today we gather here to remind everyone that history will not be rewritten by those evil players who say ‘New York City is a workers’ town, NYC is a labor town’ but do not stand with these workers.”

After the rally, Marte attributed delays to home care agencies, insurance companies, nonprofits, and some elected officials, describing a “system and mindset of complacency.” He noted the issue's personal relevance, as his mother worked 24-hour shifts as a home health aide in the Bronx.

Opposition to the bill comes from disability rights groups, elderly care advocates, and the union representing home care workers, 1199SEIU. These groups argue that shorter shifts could disrupt continuous care for clients who require round-the-clock attention, potentially leading to care gaps, increased reliance on multiple workers, and higher coordination challenges. For instance, clients with complex needs might experience inconsistencies if care is split across more shifts.

1199SEIU, which opposed an earlier version of the bill, has estimated that implementing the changes would require an additional $460 million in funding. Union representatives contend this funding must come from the state level, as New York City lacks authority to mandate such increases unilaterally. Organizers acknowledge these fiscal concerns but maintain that responsibility should fall on employers and funders rather than workers.

The debate reflects broader tensions, including the rising cost of living, immigration status requirements for workers, limited healthcare access, and development proposals in Chinatown such as a casino and a large jail facility. Organizer Casey Robinson of Youth Against Sweatshops linked labor conditions to community stability, stating, “If our health isn’t protected and our money isn’t being given to us, then we’re easier to displace. It’s harder to build power as working people together.”

No direct response from Mayor Mamdani's office to the rally criticisms was available at press time. The mayor's administration has prioritized worker protections through other initiatives, including enforcement via the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, though specifics on the 24-hour shift issue remain unclear.

Organizers have indicated they will return to City Hall on May 15 if Speaker Menin does not schedule a vote by May 14. The bill is expected to advance given its sponsorship, but divisions within progressive circles—over topics including public safety, immigration, and international issues—could influence outcomes.

The home care debate underscores fiscal and logistical challenges in expanding care services. State-level Medicaid funding, which supports much of the sector, has faced constraints, including past federal cuts under President Trump to Medicare programs. Advocates on both sides emphasize the need for sustainable solutions that address worker conditions without compromising client care.

New York City's home care sector operates amid these competing priorities. With a Democratic majority in the City Council and strong union presence statewide, the legislation's path forward will test alignments among labor, disability advocates, and elected officials.

*Matthew Vickers is a writer and journalist based in New York City.*

*(Word count: 1,552)*