It was the start of a 20-year campaign to gain recognition and the right to bargain as Miller and her co-workers signed up people one at a time and collected union dues. In 2003, Miller and other personal assistants finally won the right to bargain collectively with the state and eventually were able to bargain for a 35 percent raise from $7 an hour in 2003 to $9.35 in 2007. Miller’s efforts have led to continuing gains in wages — now $13 an hour — training and health care coverage for more than 23,000 workers.