LYNWOOD, CA-- The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has scheduled an election at St. Francis Medical Center so that healthcare workers can vote to keep their union, the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) and reject an outside group formed by ousted union officials. The election will take place in the next 30 days.
The former officials were removed from SEIU-UHW more than a year ago for misusing millions in union funds and violating members' democratic rights. Shortly afterward they formed an organization called the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) and filed for an election with the NLRB to decertify SEIU-UHW. In the election, the workers will vote on whether or not they want to keep SEIU-UHW as their union, vote to move to the new group, or vote for no union.
"We're healthcare workers, and we don't want anything to come between us and the patients we care for," said Pam McGraw, a respiratory therapist at St. Francis. "This other union has sent in organizers to disrupt our work. We're ready to vote to kick them out once and for all so we can do the healthcare work we do best without distractions."
In recent weeks, SEIU-UHW members have stepped up pressure on the ousted officials to either withdraw their petitions for elections or allow the votes to proceed.
More than 70 percent of the SEIU-UHW members in the affected facilities have now signed petitions stating their support for their union, SEIU-UHW. And more than 1,000 nursing home workers signed a letter - hand-delivered to the former union officials - demanding that NUHW withdraw the petitions and stop putting workers' future and union at risk (please click here to view the delivery).
"We fought for months to win a contract that protects our patients and provides healthcare workers with pay and benefits that will help retain the best caregivers," said Juan Mendoza a housekeeping technician. "We don't want to give that up for some outside group with no members under contract and no strength to help us stand up for quality care. It's time for NUHW to go."
Contact: Adriana Surfas, 510-869-2246
SEIU -United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW) is the largest hospital and healthcare union in the western United States with more than 150,000 members. We unite every type of healthcare worker with a mission to achieve high-quality healthcare for all. SEIU-UHW is part of the 2.1 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the nation's fastest-growing union. Learn more at www.seiu-uhw.org
Source: SEIU-UHW