April 6th, 2009
Workers at Eden Medical Center petition to quit SEIU and join NUHW
Castro Valley, Calif.—A majority of the 350 healthcare workers at Sutter Health’s Eden Medical Center have filed a petition with the labor board calling for an election to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). They say they’re joining NUHW to stay united with caregivers at more than 360 healthcare facilities across the state who are fleeing the scandal-plagued SEIU.
“In these tough economic times, we know we’re going to have to fight dangerous reductions in staffing levels, and the question is, who do we trust by our side in bargaining with Sutter?” said Katrina Bowman, an administrative assistant in the radiology department for nine years and an elected member of the bargaining team. “More than 3,000 workers at other Sutter hospitals have already chosen NUHW because NUHW is led by healthcare workers like us.”
April 6th, 2009
Workers at Watsonville and Hazel Hawkins hospitals petition to quit SEIU and join NUHW
Watsonville, Calif.—A majority of the 200 healthcare workers at Watsonville Community Hospital and 160 at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital have filed petitions for elections to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW). They say they’re joining NUHW to stay united with workers at more than 360 healthcare facilities across the state who are fleeing the scandal-plagued SEIU.
“An overwhelming majority of us have signed petitions to choose NUHW as our union.” said Butch Cole, a surgical tech at Watsonville for 18 years. “We need a union we can trust, where we have a voice to stand up for ourselves and our patients.”
April 4th, 2009
Salinas Californian: Workers petition to leave powerful SEIU
The vote could split about 2,800 members from the 4,500 workers in the county represented by SEIU 521. If hospital and county employees approve the change, governments would need to negotiate contracts with another union.
“We requested the vote because we would like to have a choice,” said Malia Esteban, a county court liaison. “We want to make our own informed decision.”
April 4th, 2009
Monterey County Herald: County workers mull split from SEIU
A growing battle between labor giant Service Employees International Union and a new union that broke away from the SEIU fold will be played out among thousands of Monterey County’s government employees.
The National Union of Healthcare Workers, an Oakland union formed in January by leaders who split from the SEIU, filed petitions this week for an election to decide whether employees in two bargaining units for county government workers will switch from SEIU Local 521 to the new union.
April 3rd, 2009
2,800 Monterey County employees petition to join NUHW and quit SEIU Local 521
Malia Esteban, Court Liaison with the Department of Child Support Services for 16 years
“SEIU told us a merger would make us stronger, but they dismantled our local union and replaced our union reps with a call center in Pasadena. They’re not giving us the support we need to stop the budget cuts and protect vital public services in our communities. We need a union that is accountable to workers here in Monterey County, not just to SEIU officials in Washington, D.C.”