Just the Facts
-What is a union?
-What is 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East?
-Do we have a right to form a union?
- How can forming a healthcare union with 1199SEIU improve staffing and patient care?
-What kind of job improvements can we expect with a union?
-How much are union dues?
- Who makes decisions in 1199SEIU?
-What can we expect from hospital management during the process?
-Will we be able to maintain a direct relationship with hospital administration if we form a union?
-Can we lose our benefits if we form a union?
-Does forming a union mean we'll have to go on strike?
What is a union?
A union is an organization of workers who join together in order to have a voice in improving their jobs and the quality of care for their patients.
What is the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East?
We are a union of 275,000 healthcare workers from every sector of the industry across Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington D.C. and New York State. We are the largest and fastest growing healthcare union in the United States. Our goals are to achieve better care for our patients and better lives for ourselves and our families. For more information click here
Do we have a right to form a union?
Yes. By law, healthcare employees have the freedom to form a union and work together to improve patient care and the quality of their jobs. It's illegal for your employer to intimidate, discriminate, or otherwise interfere in your decision.
How can forming a healthcare union with 1199SEIU improve staffing and patient care?
1199SEIU members have negotiated a variety of provisions that improve staffing and the quality of care, such as:
· A training and education fund that allows caregivers to update their skills and advance their careers. For more information click here
· Restrictions on mandatory overtime.
· Improvements in wages, benefits, and working conditions in order to attract and retain qualified staff.
· Specific staffing and workload provisions, and other guidelines.
What kind of job improvements can we expect with a union?
After workers join together to form a union, they then sit down with management to negotiate improvements. Those improvements are then guaranteed in a contract. Union contracts usually include better:
Wages- guaranteed annual raises, pay steps that reward experience and length of service, higher shift differentials, certification and specialty bonuses, and other premium pay.
Benefits- Most hospital employees represented by 1199SEIU have achieved fully paid family health benefits and excellent pensions.
Job Security- 1199SEIU members have a fair disciplinary process with union representation and provisions against sub-contracting and layoffs.
How much are union dues?
1199SEIU members pay 2% of their monthly wages in membership dues. There is no initiation fee for newly organized members, and new members don’t pay dues until they have voted to approve a contract and are experiencing the benefits of union membership. Dues are each member's investment to ensure that our organization has the strength and resources to be effective. The money is used to help more workers join our union, negotiate contracts and improve staffing, working conditions, patient care standards, wages and benefits. There is a $75 per month cap on dues.
Who makes decisions in 1199SEIU?
1199SEIU is a democratic organization. The employees who are members of the union make all the primary decisions. Members vote on their union contracts, elect union leaders, vote on bylaws and make other important decisions. Our union is guided by the priorities of the members.
What can we expect from hospital management during the process?
Some hospital administrators respect the right of employees to make up their own minds about forming a union and take a neutral position. Other administrators oppose the idea, at least at first. Allowing employees to participate in decision-making can be a big change, and accepting change is never easy.
In cases where management opposes the idea of healthcare employees forming a union, they may turn to outside consultants who specialize in persuading employees not to form a union. These corporate consultants often spread misinformation, so it is important to talk to a union organizer to clear up any questions you may have.
Most importantly, keep in mind that any tension that may arise during your organizing effort is only temporary. Once you form your union and have the means to solve problems on the job, your relationship with your supervisors is likely to be better than ever.
Will we be able to maintain a direct relationship with hospital administration if we form a union?
Yes. Most employees say forming a union improves their relationship with supervisors because everyone knows what to expect and there are clear ways to resolve any problems that arise day-to-day. With 1199SEIU, we share in decision-making, and the needs of employees and patients are always taken into account.
Can we lose our benefits if we form a union?
The purpose of negotiating a union contract is to preserve and improve benefits, not lose them. When you sit down to negotiate a union contract, you start with your existing pay and benefits and then negotiate improvements. Because those improvements are written into a legally binding contract that you've voted to approve, your pay and benefits are guaranteed. At a time when many hospitals are looking for ways to cut costs, forming a union is the best way to protect your current benefits.
Does forming a union mean we'll have to go on strike?
No. No one, least of all healthcare professionals, ever wants to go on strike—which is why about 98 percent of union contracts are settled without one. Strikes are the exception, not the rule. More importantly, a decision to go on strike is one that only you and your co-workers can make for yourselves through a democratic vote. If members don't want to strike, there won't be one- it's the members' decision to make by a majority vote.
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