Salinas Valley Memorial members authorize info picket
NUHW members at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital are ready to go public with their fight for a fair contract. With management of the publicly-owned hospital still insisting on slashing health benefits despite the ongoing pandemic, workers voted nearly unanimously to authorize an informational picket.
After three months of negotiations, the hospital district is continuing to propose that workers pay more for their health benefits every year, while offering wage increases that fail to keep pace with the current rate of inflation.
The contract offer from the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare District belies the fact that Salinas Valley posted a $84 million profit as recently as 2019 and that the district pays hospital CEO Pete Delgado more than $1 million annually.
“I don’t understand how a hospital like Salinas Valley Memorial can make so much money, and then try to cut health benefits during a pandemic,” said Michelle Shaw, a physical therapist. “Our hospital is only motivated by the bottom line, and doesn’t recognize our efforts to help it achieve those profits by providing the care our patients need. We are ready to make them listen to our demands.”