Here's what these hospital workers fought for and won with SEIU 49:
"Getting a job at a unionized hospital and becoming an SEIU 49 member meant an immediate $5 bump in pay for me, and I was immediately saving $350 per month because I no longer had to pay for my insurance. Because of my union, I was able to go from working two jobs to survive to working one and having time with my loved ones." Because we have a union, our benefits don’t cost us anything at Kaiser. My wife is a diabetic so it was a game changer - I cover her on my insurance and pay nothing for our benefit. We have $3 prescription meds and $5 copays to go to the doctor - and same for dental. She was able to get $25,000 worth of dental work for $1,200 with my union contract, six weeks after I started at Kaiser as a member of SEIU 49, something we never could have afforded in my non-union hospital."
Olivia Devers, CNA at Kaiser
“Our wages are so much better now. I was making $10-something in 2015, the year we unionized. Now, I earn over $21 per hour. I don’t pay anything for prescriptions. And, we’re expanding coverage even more! We have that opportunity because we came together as a union and demanded better for ourselves.”
Lorie Quinn, Housekeeper EVS at PeaceHealth
"Thanks to forming a union, I have so many new benefits: Our education fund provides a fully paid path to help me move up the career ladder. My health coverage co-pays are only $3-$5 with zero premium healthcare costs. And if I am ever laid off, I will be guaranteed a full 12 months of income with access to retraining for a new position. Standing together as a union made this possible.”
Dawn Martin, Medical Assistant at Kaiser
BETTER PAY
U.S. Department of Labor data shows union workers earn $1.3 million more over their lifetime compared to non-union workers. The reason is clear – collective action gets the goods! Joining together to advocate for the wages and benefits we need, we can raise standards across our hospital.
- Won an average raise of 21% across all membership
- Raised housekeeper EVS pay by nearly 30%
- Won credit for past experience when placed on wage scale
- Won 1.5 times overtime after shift with no delay
When workers at Sacred Heart negotiated their most recent union contract, they:
- Established a minimum $18/hour wage floor
- Won $20-30/hour for CNAs
BETTER HEALTHCARE
SEIU hospital workers have a WINNING RECORD on healthcare! SEIU members have won groundbreaking healthcare protections, including lowering costs, expanding care and protections to shield members from predatory practices by medical debt collectors.
Through uniting together SEIU members have won healthcare improvements at the bargaining table, including:
- Free premiums for their health insurance
- FREE PRESCRIPTIONS for chronic conditions
- And end to the practice of sending employees to collections for medical debt
- $3 for prescriptions
BETTER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Over 105,000 SEIU members from hospitals in Oregon and across the west coast fought for and won expanded education and career training opportunities through the SEIU Education Fund, giving all healthcare workers a pathway up the healthcare career ladder.
- These benefits are paid for by our employers, so they are free or at significantly reduced cost. Training allows SEIU union members to pursue a new healthcare career, get the continuing education we need in our current roles, or simply learn new skills.
- One-on-one career counseling is available to all SEIU members to help us achieve our goals.
- We can do the same at Asante. We don’t have to leave healthcare. Instead, we can change it together!
A VOICE AT WORK
When we stand together, our voice amplifies!
- We won't have respect at work until we have a voice on the job
- Through our union, we will have a say in everything that matters to us most - including our wages, our working conditions, and our benefits
- We can ensure management meet with us and negotiate over major changes at work
- We will have the right to collectively bargain to build a better Asante
- With our union, we can take protected action together to turn our jobs into fair, respected, and livable careers
