July newsletter: Union News & Views for Children’s Hospital Oakland
Building the union at Children’s Hospital
Now that we have ratified our contract and our new contract booklet is being distributed, it is time to focus on building the union at the hospital.
The union works best when the members are engaged and participating in enforcing the contract and improving day-to-day working conditions.
To that end, our stewards and organizers will be carrying out several important activities in the near future:
• Steward elections in all departments.
• Strengthening our NUHW worksite stewards council.
• Shop steward training.
• Publishing a regular newsletter.
Some details:
Steward elections in all departments:
In NUHW, the workers elect their stewards. The most effective way to enforce our contract and hold management accountable is for workers in all departments and/or work areas to choose co-workers whom they trust to function as union shop stewards.
Ideally, we should have one shop steward for every 20 workers. So if a department or work area has 70 workers, we should have at least three stewards; if two or more small departments of fewer than 20 workers have something in common, such as close physical proximity, they may be combined and share shop stewards. Each shop steward must have the support of a majority of the members in the department/work area.
Start thinking about co-workers in your department/work area who would make good stewards!
Worksite stewards council:
Newly elected stewards will join the worksite steward council to plan, coordinate, and carry out NUHW activities at the worksite. The steward council meets monthly and meetings are open to all NUHW members.
Shop steward training:
NUHW will provide initial training to new stewards, and ongoing training to all stewards in all aspects of their responsibilities to the members, including contract interpretation, grievances, organizing, etc. The next shop steward training is scheduled for July 26 in our Emeryville office. Sign up with your NUHW organizer.
Around the Hospital
• Seven workers have been reclassified to benefitted status in the Food Service Department. The next step is to get them regular assignments and regular schedules.
• A 4 Med employee has also been reclassified to benefitted status.
• We won retroactive weekend pay for LVNs at Claremont. We also got scheduling practices corrected for people working weekends and got the break scheduling rectified to the satisfaction of employees.
Get your copy of the contract
Printed copies of the contract are available. We have begun distributing them in the cafeteria. To get your copy, contact your shop steward or NUHW Organizer Beverly Griffith at (510) 978-7454 or bgriffith@nuhw.org.
Your right to union representation
If a supervisor or manager calls you into a meeting and you feel the meeting might lead to discipline, you should ask for union representation. Management is not obligated to offer you a union rep — you have to say “I want my union rep.” They must give you reasonable time to find representation. You should not go it alone! Call your NUHW Shop Steward or a union organizer.
Children’s Hospital’s NUHW Stewards
EVS
Gilbert Moraven
Juanita Razo
Antonia Hurtado
ER
James Stokes
Lab
Ruth Kees
Food Service
Andrea Carroll
Respiratory
Faye Thompson
Cardiology
Karole Cyrus
Ultrasound
Sarah Soheil
Day Hospital Stores
Wendy Nelson
5 Med
Shon Powell
NUHW Organizers
Beverly Griffith (510) 978-7454 bgriffith@nuhw.org
Helen Christian (510) 610-1887 hwalton@nuhw.org
Charlie Ridgell (510) 909-5694 cridgell@nuhw.org