PPPSW management is telling us a lot about what it means to go union. Here’s the truth about uniting in SEIU-UHW.

 

How much are SEIU-UHW dues?

Dues are 2% of base pay with no dues on overtime pay or shift differentials. We will not pay any dues until we vote to ratify our contract — so we’ll lock in our guaranteed raises before we pay any dues. Dues cannot be raised without a vote by union members.

 

Why is PPPSW management talking so much about us paying dues?

Stoking fear about union dues is a standard ploy bosses use to try to scare workers about unions. The reality is that management is scared that we’ll go union and have the power to win the pay, benefits, and working conditions we deserve.

 

Will we have to go on strike if we go union?

Strikes are very rare — about 98% of union contracts are settled without a strike. Strikes only happen if a majority of union members in the bargaining unit vote for one.

 

Will I lose flexibility after going union?

When we unite in SEIU-UHW, WE are the union. That means we’ll still have the right to speak directly to our employer about workplace issues like scheduling, staffing, and workloads. The difference is that when we join SEIU-UHW, we’ll have the rights and power that come with being in a union and collectively fighting for the changes we want. We’ll also have the strength and resources of a 100,000-member healthcare workers’ organization behind us to make sure our voices and concerns are heard and addressed.

 

Will our wages and benefits change as a result of collective bargaining?

We’re forming our union for the power to win higher wages, stronger benefits, better working conditions, and improved patient care. When we vote to unite in SEIU-UHW, we’ll start collective bargaining with PPPSW over our union contract to achieve these goals. And remember, our union contract is only official if we vote to ratify it. So WE decide whether to accept whatever wages, raises, benefits, and working conditions we negotiate in our union contract.

 

Is PPPSW legally allowed to cut our wages or benefits before we win our union and bargain our contract?

Management cannot cut our wages or benefits to retaliate against us for forming our union. If anyone from PPPSW management threatens you for unionizing, report the incident to a member of our SEIU-UHW Organizing Committee right away.

 

Management is telling us that bargaining will take a long time. Is that true?

By saying this, PPPSW management may be threatening to bargain in bad faith with us, which is illegal. When employers bargain in good faith, union contracts are often reached far more quickly — and when we’re united in SEIU-UHW, we’ll have the legal power, strength, and resources of a 100,000-member union to overcome their delay tactics and win a strong contract.