Victories
Child care providers win rate increase!
Child care providers united in SEIU Healthcare Illinois received a 3% rate increase, effective Jan. 1, 2012 that will be reflected in our February checks. The rate increase – the 5th increase in our current contract, with two more increases still to come – is possible because of our strong, united stand to win a good contract. (more…)
Major victory for home care workers: Chicago’s Gilda Brown becomes a piece of home care history
Chicago home care worker Gilda Brown became a part of home care history when she stood by President Obama in Washington, DC as he announced a major victory for home care workers.
The US Department of Labor is moving forward to amend regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act [FLSA] to include the nearly two million home care workers who had been excluded from federal overtime and minimum wage protections. This long-overdue change not only guarantees the same rights and protections for home care workers as other workers have enjoyed for decades, but continues to reinforce the fact that home care is real, important work that our nation depends on.
Gilda Brown, far left, stands with President Obama and other home care workers and consumers as he announces new overtime and minimum wage protections for home care workers.
“It was so exciting to be there with the President, to be part of something so historic,” said Gilda. Gilda worked on Obama’s 2008 campaign, but hadn’t gotten to meet him face-to-face until her recent trip to the nation’s capitol.
“Before he made the announcement, he told us that even though some people don’t take this work seriously, he knows how important home care is. He told his staff that this change was past overdue and that nobody could go on vacation until they got it done and signed,” Gilda said. Before this announcement, President Obama walked a day in another home care provider’s shoes, to gain an understanding of just how important home care is to working families across America.
“Now more than ever, every job in our country must be a good job that can sustain a family, strengthen our communities and move our country forward. Very soon, every caregiver in America will be equal in the eyes of the law and equally protected,” said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry in response to this victory.
“The President went to shake my hand and I told him I wanted a kiss,” said Gilda. “That was the most exciting part!”
See the video of President Obama’s announcement.
Research and Menorah Medical Centers ratify their first contract
On December 9th, healthcare workers at Research and Menorah Medical Centers in Kansas City ratified their first ever union contract, with an overwhelming 92% voting yes. Since January 2011, members at both hospitals have been at the bargaining table, negotiating with one of the largest hospital chains in the US.
Employees at Research and Menorah have supported forming a union at their hospital for quite some time, and they finally won their union last year. By ratifying their first contract, workers at Research and Menorah have now completed the organizing process and are officially members of SEIU Healthcare IL/IN/MO/KS.
“This is a great win for our hospitals and for all of the working people in Kansas City,” said Anthony Baker, an EVS at Menorah.
Throughout the year-long contract campaign, workers at both hospitals have come together to take action, from organizing sticker days to delivering cakes to management to holding rallies. By standing together, Research and Menorah workers won a strong contract and through the process, formed a strong union.
“It’s great to finally have a voice in the way things are done here at RMC!” said Corita Brown, a dietary worker at Research.
Research and Menorah workers won a strong contract that includes:
- Wage increases
- Job Security
- Right to grievance and arbitration procedure
- Attendance relief
- Staffing language
- Removal of salary caps
- Ratification bonus
MO and IN members team up to beat bad bill in Ohio
When Ohio Governor John Kasich followed in Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s footsteps by signing a bill (SB5) decimating the collective bargaining rights of public sector employees, SEIU Healthcare members jumped up to stop him.
Members knocked knocked on almost 7000 doors in a week to educate Ohio voters about SB5. Their efforts helped the bill to be repealed!
Unlike Wisconsin’s, Ohio’s constitution allows for a citizen’s veto, giving residents a chance to bring a bad bill to a ballot–if they can gather enough signatures.
With help from fifteen of our members, organizers gathered 1.3 million signatures, giving voters the opportunity to send the message that working people aren’t going to accept attacks on our bargaining rights.
“These Republican governors all over the country are trying to cut out the middle class. We want the whole country to see what’s going on and say, enough is enough,” said McKinley Williams, a groundskeeper at Methodist Hospital in Gary, IN who spent a week in Cleveland knocking on doors to educate residents about the devastating impact of SB5.
“I met a lot of people in the area whose lives would have been immediately affected by this bill–teachers, state workers, city workers, and more,” said Ella Giles, a home care worker in St. Louis. “But even most of the people who weren’t going to be affected right away were on our side, because people know that once they start chipping away at working people, it’s only a matter of time before they start chipping away at you.”
Excluding Election Day, Williams, Giles, and other members knocked on 6842 doors and had 2152 conversations with voters in just one week, getting support from more than 90% of them and leading 61% of Ohio voters to repeal the bad bill. As Gov. Walker’s recall heats up in Wisconsin, this victory not only protects good jobs for thousands of Ohio residents, but will have a real impact on our efforts to protect bargaining rights for working people all over the United States.
“The most recent polls show that the majority of people in Wisconsin want to recall Scott Walker,” McKinley said. “I’m fired up and ready to go to Wisconsin next!”
Paid training for Personal Assistants starts this month!
By standing together in our Union, Personal Assistants won training for the first time in our Union contract that will improve the high-quality care we provide consumers!
Training is starting in November and December with hands-on classes designed for healthcare providers like us: First Aid, CPR and Defibrillator Use; Universal Precautions; and Body Mechanics and Safe Lifting. The classes will be FREE for Personal Assistants. You have the opportunity to gain these skills with the full cost paid for by your new SEIU Member Education and Training Center. PAs will receive 3 hours pay to attend most classes, but will not be paid to attend Red Cross classes.
To register, call the Member Education and Training Center at 877-456-4477. Watch your mail for information about more classes starting soon!
Midwest Rehabilitation and Respiratory unites in SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana!
After months of hard work and determination, workers at Midwest Rehabilitation and Respiratory in Belleville, IL voted overwhelmingly to join together in SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana!
Workers at Midwest voted 78-14 to unite for good jobs and quality care in Belleville, IL.
“After Midwest was bought by a new company, working conditions started to degrade,” said Lauren Miller, a CNA at the nursing home. “It took a couple of months for the idea of joining a union to spread from just a few of us to a wide majority of the staff, but we worked hard and got it done.”
Midwest employees are looking forward to making big changes at the facility, including increasing the supply budget, getting management to hire more staff, and replacing old and broken equipment that employees need to care for their residents safely.
“Everyone’s so excited to get started improving this place,” said Virgie Watson, CNA. “Being united means we have a seat at the table with management and a way to really get things done around here.”
Midwest employees will soon begin bargaining their first contract. Check back here for updates.
Marcy Newberry workers win a voice
In September, Child care and Head Start workers at Marcy Newberry Association voted overwhelmingly to join together in SEIU Child Care & Early Learning, a division of SEIU Healthcare Illinois and Indiana! (more…)
UPDATE: Home care providers, consumers, and advocates call to end Missouri’s contract with SynCare
In a series of rallies across Missouri, home care agencies, providers and consumers called on state officials to end a contract with SynCare, Inc., an Indiana company hired to assess the home health care needs of Medicaid-eligible seniors and people with disabilities. (more…)
Governor signs bill to bring quality care, quality jobs to Roseland community
On Friday, August 5, 2011, Governor Pat Quinn arrived at Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago’s far south side, to sign House Bill 1888 into law, establishing the Roseland Community Medical District. The creation of a medical district creates opportunities to expand and improve healthcare facilities in the community.
“We’ve needed something like this to happen for a long time,” says Nicole Creamer, an SEIU member who works at Roseland Community Hospital. “The Roseland Medical District will bring hospital services and good healthcare jobs to an area that desperately needs both.”
Sponsors of the original legislation, Representative Robert Rita and Senator Emil Jones III, and other elected officials also attended this historical event, establishing the second medical district in the city of Chicago, and the fourth in Illinois.
Victory at Loretto Hospital: new contract improves wages and patient care
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…)