March 23rd, 2012
Talking Union: “With God on Our Side” by Adam Reich, a review
By Carl Finamore, Mar. 16, 2012
Talking Union
“With God on Our Side” is a very catchy book title. It also appears at first glance to be quite topical because mention of religion so dominates, and distorts many would add, political discussion in this country.
For that reason, curiosity may initially draw the reader’s eye. But the subtitle “The Struggle for Workers’ Rights in a Catholic Hospital” gives it all away. This is a book about organized labor and workers.
This is usually where most readers take flight. But that would be a mistake because it is so much more.
Books about labor post dreadfully low sales, true enough. Nonetheless, Adam Reich has written a very readable and colorful “story of worker leaders” at the largest and most prestigious hospital in the northern California town of Santa Rosa.
The story, however, carries political lessons far beyond the geography of this small-town power struggle. Reich has written a human-interest story about people and why some act so passionately to improve their lives.
March 22nd, 2012
Our election at Seton Medical Center
Last night when the labor board counted the ballots in our election between NUHW and SEIU at Seton Medical Center, neither side won a majority. Our election will now go to the labor board to evaluate the challenged ballots and determine whether to schedule a run-off election between NUHW and SEIU. The SEIU spin doctors […]
March 19th, 2012
The Californian: Editorial-Ailing SVMH board needs new direction
Opinion, The Californian.com, Mar 16, 2012
Following a stinging audit of how Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System’s board of directors conducts the public’s business, board president Jim Gattis should rethink his opposition to putting his seat up for an electoral-district election in November.
It could be voters are now in the mood for a change.
March 19th, 2012
Talking Union: “With God on Our Side” by Adam Reich, a review
By Carl Finamore, Mar. 16, 2012
Talking Union
“With God on Our Side” is a very catchy book title. It also appears at first glance to be quite topical because mention of religion so dominates, and distorts many would add, political discussion in this country.
For that reason, curiosity may initially draw the reader’s eye. But the subtitle “The Struggle for Workers’ Rights in a Catholic Hospital” gives it all away. This is a book about organized labor and workers.
This is usually where most readers take flight. But that would be a mistake because it is so much more.
Books about labor post dreadfully low sales, true enough. Nonetheless, Adam Reich has written a very readable and colorful “story of worker leaders” at the largest and most prestigious hospital in the northern California town of Santa Rosa.
The story, however, carries political lessons far beyond the geography of this small-town power struggle. Reich has written a human-interest story about people and why some act so passionately to improve their lives.
March 16th, 2012
18 SVMH Pharmacists Join NUHW
Yesterday, eighteen pharmacists at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital (SVMH) became the newest members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). The formerly non-union caregivers have received no pay increase in three years and lost thousands of dollars each when senior administrators changed their pension plan. With the hospital’s future uncertain, the pharmacists, whose department […]