Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital workers win contract, Seton Medical Center workers file to join NUHW

NewsJanuary 30, 2012

We want to report to you that today 750 NUHW members at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital are celebrating winning a new contract with no concessions and wage increases of 3.25% to 18.25%.

Our struggle to win our contract at Salinas wasn’t easy. First we had to fight to leave SEIU and the layoffs that SEIU had agreed to. Then we fought a one-year battle to win a fair contract, including a one-day strike at our hospital (the first-ever strike at SVMH) and picketing the homes and businesses of the Hospital’s Board of Directors.

At the end of the day, we won the contract we deserve in Salinas because in NUHW workers control our union and are united to win the best contracts and secure the strongest union representation.

Important news from Seton Medical Center

Today, we are also proud to report important news from the Daughters of Charity Health System. 650 workers at our hospital, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, petitioned the labor board yesterday for an election to leave SEIU and to join NUHW.

When we see the powerful steward councils, the effective representation, the transparent bargaining and the contract victories won by workers in NUHW, the contrast with our current union, SEIU-UHW, is clear.

At Seton Medical Center, SEIU-UHW agreed to a contract with takeaways that weakened our health benefits and job security. As a result, more than 100 of our co-workers were laid off. Representation at our hospital has also suffered. Under SEIU-UHW, calls aren’t returned, grievances aren’t filed, and, time and again, when there are issues in our workplace, management has the upper hand.

We’re petitioning to leave SEIU and join NUHW at Seton Medical Center because after seeing all that workers have won at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, we know there’s a better way.

As members of NUHW, we will win the contract and representation that we deserve.

Sincerely,
Suad Husary, Respiratory Therapist, Seton Medical Center
Ernesto Gonzales, Food Service Department, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital
National Union of Healthcare Workers

PS. Please follow this link for important information, including picket line times and locations, about our brothers and sisters in NUHW who will be on strike this Tuesday, Jan 31 at Kaiser Permanente.