Say “No” to Decertification
Dear Colleagues,
We are writing to you today with a message of unity as your NUHW-HPC Bargaining Committee. Every one of us understands that Kaiser has made this contract fight very difficult, but we are in the process of returning to the bargaining table with unprecedented political support to settle a contract that will have zero cuts and numerous significant improvements.
Some members of our bargaining unit want to throw all of that away — and start from scratch. They’re asking us to sign a decertification petition that would leave us without a union or any further plan or assurances about what would come next. If a majority of us signs this petition we could become completely NON-UNION without any election! This would mean:
- No contract whatsoever.
- No protection from layoffs, firing, or unfair discipline.
- No contractual rights regarding seniority, transfers, bonuses, etc.
- No wage or benefits guarantee (Kaiser could change these unilaterally at any time)
- No voice in the care we provide.
Please google “withdrawal of union recognition” yourself if you have any doubts about that reality. In the event we did have an election, we would be faced with a contentious decertification vote to choose between NUHW and another union. This is a lose-lose scenario. A failed decertification vote would leave us weakened and stall efforts to reach a fair settlement with Kaiser. And, if we did vote to join another union, we’d have to start negotiating a new contract from scratch.
The president of UNAC has directly stated that UNAC will not be involved in any actions to decertify and divide NUHW members, and none of us want to go back to SEIU and deal with the corruption we saw firsthand there. Let’s use our collective strength to accomplish something positive in this contract and build for the future! We have come too far and achieved too much together as a group. DO NOT SIGN THIS PETITION and throw it all away.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Team
Turusew Gedebu-Wilson, Health Educator II
Brandy Brent, Audiologist
Mia Hernandez, Lactation Consultant
Carla Yaldezian, Nephrology Registered Dietitian
Marla Simon, FANS Registered Dietitian