Workers at two St. Joseph hospitals vote to join NUHW
One hundred and twenty-four service and tech workers at St. Joseph’s Petaluma Valley Hospital voted by a 6-1 margin to join NUHW in a December 3 election.
Patti Barnett
“I’m elated,” said PVH radiology tech Patricia Barnett. “We finally have a collective voice at the hospital. We’ll be able to sit at the table as an equal with the hospital administration and negotiate a contract. It’s time now to come together as a union to set our priorities and make sure we get a fair contract with PVH. All we want is fairness.”
Click here to read the Santa Rosa Press Democrat’s story on the Petaluma victory.
Despite healthy profit margins, in August St. Joseph announced severe cuts to health and retirement benefits, paid time off, and short-term disability reserve.
The Petaluma victory followed on the heels of another election in Eureka, where 84 St. Joseph tech workers voted by a 4-1 margin to join NUHW.
“We’re excited to join our service unit co-workers, who organized with NUHW earlier this year,” said Tony Ruggeri, a pharmacy tech at St. Joseph, Eureka. “Together we can stand up for our patients to make sure they get the care they need and we can make sure that workers get a fair contract.”
Adam Dozier
“Congratulations to the St Joseph’s workers on a successful vote!” said Adam Dozier, a pharmacy tech at St. Joseph. “A strong majority of us voted yes to approve National Union of Healthcare Workers to represent us collectively. I am excited for our union and the St. Joseph administration to work together to do what is best for all employees and continue to improve patient care. Thank you to all who worked so hard to organize and inform our co-workers of the benefits of having a collective voice. Now it is our job to make sure that we obtain a contract that will allow employees to be treated fairly and equally, protect our benefits, and earn a just wage. Patient care is the most important part of our jobs, and together we can work with St. Joseph to provide the best care on the North Coast. ”
NUHW also represents more than 600 workers at St. Joseph’s Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Click here to read the Eureka Times-Standard’s story on the Eureka victory.