Posts Categorized: Health Care

On Jan. 22, Planned Parenthood workers in Michigan who are members of UFCW Locals 876, 951 and 1473 ratified their first union contract. The workers are employed as medical assistants and registered nurses at Planned Parenthood health care facilities in Traverse City, Ann Arbor (west), Livonia, Kalamazoo, and Marquette.

The three-year contract includes guaranteed wage increases and daily overtime benefits if workers stay over an hour past clinic hours. The contract also includes two additional paid days off and increases to bereavement leave. In addition, the contract establishes a process on how to be awarded jobs in higher wage brackets, as well as a safety committee to address safety issues in the facilities. 

“We are thrilled to join this contract with the UFCW,” said Mariah Metzke, who is a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood in Traverse City and a member of UFCW Local 876. “This gives us a space to truly uphold our PPMI workplace values of tending to the team, caring about our mission while making positive change within the organization, and displaying what it means to be equitable. This experience has brought us closer together, given us a voice, and has shown us how we can best support patients and our team members.”

“The work we do is very emotionally taxing with long and difficult days regularly,” said Déirdre Rounds, who is a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood in Kalamazoo and a member of UFCW Local 951. “One of the things I like best about the contract is that the stewards are given the right to form a safety committee to meet, discuss, and officially speak on patient and worker safety. We are the ones doing the work – we deserve better!”

“We organized because we all love this work and care about the patients that see us,” said Autumn Cote, who is a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood in Marquette and a member of UFCW Local 1473. “To see everyone involved in this stand together as a united front was so amazing!”

On Jan. 9, members of UFCW Local 152 who work at Genesis HealthCare “Millville Center,” an assisted living facility in Millville, N.J., ratified their first union contract. The members, who are employed as certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses, joined UFCW Local 152 last May.

With the implementation of the three-year contract, Genesis HealthCare workers now have basic protections established. These protections include:

• Union members are no longer “at-will” employees, meaning the employer must have a legitimate reason to terminate.
  
  
• A three-step grievance and arbitration process, which is a formal procedure for employees to raise concerns or complaints about their employer or working conditions.
  
  
• Seniority provisions, recognizing senior members with more time, experience, and dedication to the company.
  
  
• Clear and fair job postings so all qualified and interested members are considered for a promotional position.
  
  
• Union orientation language, allowing new employees to learn about their union membership and the benefits of being a union member.

The contract also defines holidays, vacations, sick pay, and bereavement usage. Finally, wage increases were secured for each year of the contract, including shift and weekend differentials, with additional longevity increases available based on years of service.

“These employees at Genesis HealthCare wanted their terms of employment guaranteed in writing,” said UFCW Local 152 President Daniel Ross Jr. “Together, we secured that with a strong first contract that includes much-needed wage increases. Longevity increases are useful in addressing wage compression, which can contribute to lower workplace morale in the industry. Our negotiating committee was successful in bargaining additional compensation based on length of service to incentivize retention and reward dedicated staff members.”

“These workers should be proud of themselves for organizing and staying united through the bargaining process,” Ross added. “They have now gained an effective voice on the job, and I welcome them to the Local 152 family.”