Caregivers Protest Statewide to Stop Daughters of Charity from Silencing the Voice of Caregivers & Threatening Patient Care

Healthcare workers of the Daughters of Charity Health System (DOCHS) held demonstrations today – at five separate locations – in a statewide protest of the health system’s attempt to undermine important patient care protections. The simultaneous demonstration was organized by caregivers at the following DOCHS hospitals: St. Francis Medical Center near Los Angeles, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, Seton Coastside in Moss Beach, St. Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy, and O’Connor Hospital in San Jose. Take a look at the press release.

Bargaining Begins at Sutter-CPMC

UHW elected bargaining team members met recently with the bargaining team at Sutter's CPMC to begin the process of negotiating our new contract. We made proposals and they asked questions. It was just the beginning of the process, and we have many more proposals to make. The proposals we made were:

• Union access to bulletin boards — We proposed that they give the Union copies of keys to the bulletin boards.


• Posting of positions — We proposed that whenever a position is vacated, they post the position within 7 days. This will stop CPMC from eliminating jobs through attrition.


• Work-related Disability Leave — We proposed no time limit on the length of worker’s compensation leave. Return to your original position will be guaranteed and they must fully cover your insurance while you are out on work related disability.


• Union Membership — We proposed that when CPMC creates a new position, they must bargain with the Union to decide whether or not that position is a part of the bargaining unit. If we don’t agree, the issue will go to an arbitrator for a binding decision.


• Alternative Workweek — We proposed that if employees want to work 10 or 12 hour shifts there will be a system to allow employees who want to switch to these positions will be fairly compensated for hours, sick time, and holiday pay while protecting employees who want to stay in 8 hour shifts.

The union’s bargaining team has worked hard to address the many issues raised by employees. Now we’re waiting for CPMC’s response.

Below is a video bargaining update from UHW bargaining team member Helen York-Jones:

Bargaining Begins at Sutter's Alta Bates Summit

UHW's large, spirited, elected bargaining team from Alta Bates Summit met with representatives of Sutter for the first time on Thursday. Our initial discussions centered around Sutter's illegal plan to implement a new 403(b) retirement plan and their so-called "wellness" program.

We proposed to meet outside bargaining in a sub-committee to bargain over the 403(b). Sutter said they would get back to us.

Regarding "wellness", Sutter said publicly that "wellness" is strictly voluntary and that we would not have to pay increased premiums or change our insurance if we refused to join "wellness". However, we are not finished bargaining over all aspects of "wellness" and Sutter must still provide us with all the information we have requested.

Watch a video bargaining update below:

Southwest Bargaining Update for June 3, 2008

In our first bargaining session on June 3, we gave some opening proposals listed below. We also did Introductions and set up future bargaining dates and locations.

• Increase Vacation – Add Float Holiday
• Discounted Gym Membership Rates
• Increase Maternity Leave to up to 12 months
• Breaks and Meal Periods
  
  Employees shall receive a fifteen (15) minute break for each four (4) hours of work, which shall be computed as time worked. Employees working five (5) or more continuous hours shall be allowed thirty (30) minutes of non computed time off for meals. Employees on break or meal periods shall not be interrupted except in cases of emergencies.
  
  If, at the request of the supervisor, an employee is not relieved of his or her duties and is unable to leave the work area, the meal period of thirty (30) minutes shall be paid for by the Medical Center at the rate of one and one-half (1 ½ ) times the regular rate of pay of that individual, including shift differential.
  

Sutter-Roseville Bargaining Update for May 22, 2008

UHW opened talks with Sutter Health on Thursday in Roseville. Elected bargaining team members from other Sutter Hospitals traveled from Antioch, Vallejo, Oakland and San Francisco to show unity and support for the Sutter Roseville bargaining.

At the table:

• We stressed that we wanted to have bargaining at the hospital to make it easier for workers to attend bargaining before and after work and during breaks. We proposed a compromise where we would alternate between holding bargaining sessions in a conference room at the hospital and having it off-site at a hotel. Sutter refused this proposal.
• We talked about compensation for the bargaining team and we gave a starting packet of proposals to Sutter.
• Sutter had no proposals for us.

Bargaining team member Karen Fontanos, an Obstetrician Technician at Sutter-Roseville, gave this video update just after negotiations ended:

Bargaining Begins at Sutter Hospitals

Elected bargaining teams of UHW members soon will begin contract talks with hospitals affiliated with the Sutter Health Network. The dates confirmed so far are:

May 22 – Sutter Roseville Medical Center
June 9 and June 20 – California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco
June 12 – Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Berkeley/Oakland
June 16 – Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lakeport
June 17 – Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa
Sutter bargaining this year will eventually involve about 5,000 UHW members at 14 hospital campuses.

UHW Hosts Healthcare Forum in Sacramento

UHW members, community activists, and elected officials gathered May 5 at a Sacramento town hall to discuss the crisis facing our state’s healthcare system and how our 2008 bargaining and legislative platforms help provide solutions.

The crowd heard testimony from UHW workers about how understaffing and substandard pay and benefits have a detrimental impact on patient care. Chris Perez, a laboratory worker at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton, said, “We are testing 1,000 specimens a day, and when we are short-staffed our environment is out of control.”

Assemblyman Dave Jones and new Senate leader Darrell Steinberg, both authors of legislation to improve healthcare, acted as masters of ceremony for the event. A panel of community activists talked about the healthcare crisis as it relates to disabled people, low-income people and people seeking affordable housing.

Download UHW's PowerPoint: California’s Healthcare Crisis: Industry Challenges & Workforce Solutions [PDF]