[April 24, 2019] LOS ANGELES – One-hundred forty-four workers recently voted to improve their job conditions at a cancer research center’s business office in Irwindale, Calif. by joining SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), a union of 95,000 healthcare workers across California.

“For many of us, we entered this line of work and chose this employer after having a family member or friend battle cancer,” said Erika Sanchez, a data entry clerk at City of Hope Medical Foundation. “We are now in a position to speak with a unified voice to improve wages and benefits so that we can honor our commitment to this institution and its mission. We look forward to working with management to reach a contract agreement that reflects the value of our contributions to City of Hope.”

The vote applies to more than 16 job classifications, including chemotherapy authorization specialists, medical records clerks, patient care representatives and credentialing coordinators. More than 78 percent of workers voting supported joining the union.

City of Hope was founded in 1913 and has grown to include facilities spread across Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino counties. The company reported revenue of $2.4 billion in 2018.

More than 765 employees at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, Calif. are members of SEIU-UHW.