April 2020 PULSE
In April, NUHW members unveiled a COVID-19 Healthcare Workers Bill of Rights; settled contracts with Kaiser and Providence St. Joseph Health; demanded that Kaiser follow public health orders related to social distancing; and partnered with elected officials to provide emergency PPE for Seton Medical Center. Check out the stories below, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, too. *Please note that all group photos were taken prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.
NUHW releases Healthcare Workers Bill of Rights
To identify and advocate for policies that will protect all healthcare workers during this pandemic and future ones, we have produced a 10-point COVID-19 Healthcare Workers Bill of Rights. This one-page document boils down what must be done immediately to keep healthcare workers safe so they can care for patients and continue providing for their families. Read more.
NUHW members at Kaiser ratify contracts
The final contracts fell short of what members had hoped to achieve. But all members will get at least a five percent wage increase starting in May, and mental health care clinicians will be able to further address concerns over working conditions and access-to-care through a six-month collaborative process. Read more.
Contracts ratified at St. Joseph Eureka and Redwood Memorial hospitals
The four-year contract that will include significant wage increases without the harsh takeaways that Providence St. Joseph Health was demanding during more than a year of negotiations. Read more.
EVS workers at Providence Tarzana win first contract
The two-year agreement includes guaranteed wage increases of 2.5 to 4 percent per year for about more than 50 workers who voted last June to join more than 500 of their colleagues in NUHW. Read more.
Collaboration with elected leaders nets N95 masks for Seton Medical Center
Responding to the concerns of caregivers that the hospital had inadequate supplies of N-95 masks to cope with an anticipated surge of COVID-19 patients, San Mateo County purchased 15,680 N95 masks as well as 1,200 goggles. Read more.
Workers demand that Kaiser follow public health orders
Mental health workers leafleted outside Kaiser’s Los Angeles Medical Center, drawing attention to Kaiser’s arbitrary work-from-home rules that risk further spread of COVID-19. Read more.
Why the pandemic proves we need Medicare for All
Marilyn Albert, a retired nurse and healthcare union activist, explains why a single-payer system will improve healthcare for everybody. Read more.
News of the Month
Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.
NUHW offering online continuing education courses
Need CE units? Check out our online courses for members in licensed and certified job classifications. Learn more.