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November
12, 2008: UHW members demonstrate statewide against SEIU attempt to
place UHW in trusteeship at hearing in San Jose. |
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Statewide
demonstrations by UHW members protesting SEIU's trusteeship hearing
occurred simultaneously in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento. The
Sacramento protest at Sutter Health headquarters combined dismay at
SEIU's attempt to trustee UHW with anger at Sutter's failure to reach
a contract agreement at the bargaining table. |
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The
sidewalk in front of Sutter Health was filled with UHW demonstrators,
many of them arriving after a day spent attending the trusteeship
hearing in San Jose. |
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UHW
members employed at Sutter Hospitals in the Bay Area have been bargaining
with Sutter since May, working without a contract since September.
Sutter refuses union proposals to improve standards for employees
and patients, offering instead cuts which will make it increasingly
difficult to attract and retain staff. UHW members employed at CHW
hospitals recently won a favorable contract with CHW and marched in
solidarity on this occasion with Sutter employees. |
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Sharon
Martinez, long time unionist and UHW Rep Chair at Mercy General Hospital.
Guy Renfrow, UHW political organizer, in green vest. |
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Signs
saying: "Retirement with dignity," "Voice in Patient
Care," "Fair Wages," "Job Security" - all
asking Sutter to accept standards other employers such as CHW have
agreed to. |
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At
sunset, union members gathered at the speaking platform to be inspired
by UHW members whose recently won contracts gave hope to Sutter employees.
A common theme among the speakers was the added difficulty union bargainers
face because of the attempted SEIU trusteeship of UHW. Employers have
drawn out the bargaining process this year in the hope of bargaining
with a trusteed SEIU-run union that cares more about gaining new members
through back-room deals with employers than getting good contracts. |
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"Every
union member has a stake in your fight! If Andy Stern can do this
to your union, he can do it to any of us!" Sacramento Labor
Council Secretary Treasurer Bill Camp reminding UHW members that
we have many friends in the community. Bill Camp read a letter to
SEIU from 240 union, religious, and civic leaders calling on SEIU
to resolve their issues with UHW through mediation rather than trusteeship.
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"Now,
we have learned that several months ago, after an intensive 48 hour
process, a mediator proposed by SEIU and accepted by UHW offered
recommendations for a peaceful path toward resolution of the dispute
between UHW members and your leadership team – recommendations
that UHW representatives accepted and your leadership team rejected.
At this critical
moment, when we stand so much to gain by uniting to change the direction
of our state and our nation, and so much to lose if we divide our
forces against ourselves, we ask that you accept the mediator’s
recommendations and seek a peaceful resolution of your dispute with
UHW rather than precipitate a crippling civil war inside SEIU, California’s
largest union." --excerpt from letter by 240 union/civic/community
& religious leaders. |
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