Posted on July 11, 2011 by Deana Rutherford
On Wednesday, July 6, SEIU members at Loretto Hospital approved their new contract by a vote of 54-6. This overwhelming show of support was due to strong victories for both workers and patients after 6 months of bargaining. (more…)
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Posted on June 28, 2011 by Deana Rutherford
After months of negotiations, an overwhelming majority of Northwestern Memorial Hospital members have voted to ratify their new contract that holds hospital management accountable to protect good jobs and quality patient care.
“It was a long, hard fight from day one, but Northwestern is a nonprofit—we knew we had to hold them accountable to give back good jobs for the city in exchange for the tax breaks they receive,” said food service worker and bargaining committee member Shain Khan. “Our main goal was winning job security for our members, and we stuck together and fought for it until we got it,” he said.
(more…)
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Posted on May 27, 2011 by sarahfinken
Patient care and support workers joined community members this week to call on Loretto Hospital management to make quality care a priority by investing in quality jobs.
Dozens gathered Tuesday outside the hospital to rally and pass out fliers.
“We care about our patients, but when we’re short-staffed, we can’t provide the care that our patients deserve. And when we’re barely paid enough to support our families, we lose a lot of qualified staff,” said phlebotomist Kim Common. “Loretto needs to do better for patients and for the Austin community.” (more…)
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Posted on May 27, 2011 by Deana Rutherford
Nearly 1000 hospital workers at Menorah Medical Center and Research Medical Center in Kansas City are negotiating their first contract, united with SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana.
Almost immediately, members in the Environment Services Dept. (EVS) at Research demonstrated how serious and united they are to bargain a fair contract. Members signed petitions demanding that workers be treated with dignity and respect, petitions that management refused to accept. Members stepped up their campaign and presented a huge Valentine’s Day card saying all workers must be treated with dignity. (more…)
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Posted on May 17, 2011 by Deana Rutherford
Illinois hospital workers are fighting back against proposed state budget cuts to Medicaid payments that threaten jobs, quality of service and safety at all of our community hospitals. The six per cent cuts could mean a loss of millions of dollars to hospital budgets. Medicaid payments amount to nearly half of all funding for community-based hospitals.
“Our hospital services are vital to the residents of our communities,” said Tamiko Harris, an operating room secretary at Mt. Sinai Hospital, which faces a loss of more than eight million dollars if Medicaid is slashed. “These cuts will mean a loss of jobs, less resources for services for our patients and, ultimately, longer waits and more suffering for residents. We can’t allow that to happen.” (more…)
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Posted on May 16, 2011 by Deana Rutherford
Members at Northwestern Memorial Hospital are fighting for fair wages and job security in their next contract. Hundreds of workers rallied outside the hospital Feb. 12 calling on management to stop driving down wages by outsourcing jobs, and escalated the effort to a picket on May 12. The hospital hired an outside food service company in a new building on the campus that pays workers significantly less for doing the same work.
“Workers have had a major role in making Northwestern Memorial the gold standard in the Chicagoland area, and we need them to fulfill their duty to provide good employment in the city,” said patient care technician Sonya Gage. “This lowering of standards hurts the hospital’s reputation as a top-tier hospital and employer, and drives down wages and standards across the industry and the city.” (more…)
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