Posts tagged patient care
Nurses walk off job at Henry Ford Rochester Hospital in labor dispute
June 10, 2025 // The hospital states that it staffs its hospitals based on patient volumes and other factors and that mandated staffing ratios hinder its ability to adapt to varying patient conditions. The two sides are also at odds over what the union claims is bad faith bargaining and alleges that they are being retaliated against.
White Coats Take a Cue From Blue Collars
February 26, 2025 // Harking back to the emergence of physician unions, we're seeing a resurgence of interest among resident physicians in hospitals across the country. To varying degrees, U.S. hospitals still require resident physicians to work long, irregular hours (in some cases as many as 80 hours a week). In combination with other adverse workplace issues, this has led to house staff dissatisfaction with the status quo and, ultimately, to unionization.
Providence, nurses union reach new tentative deal in 6-week-long strike
February 26, 2025 // The strike, which started Jan. 10, is the longest in Oregon’s health care history. Nearly 5,000 nurses walked off the job at Providence’s eight hospitals in Oregon in Hood River, Medford, Milwaukie, Newberg, Seaside and Oregon City and two in Portland. The strike also included nurses, physicians and other staff at Providence’s six women’s clinics in the Portland area and hospital physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in southwest Portland. The physicians and clinic union members approved their deals but the nurses rejected the early agreement by more than 80%.
UR home care workers are planning a one-day strike. Here’s why
February 24, 2025 // Last week, 1199SEIU issued a 10-day notice for an unfair labor practice strike on behalf of University of Rochester Medicine Home Care workers. A one-day strike is now planned. Since May 2024, professional and clinical home care workers have been negotiating their first union contract.
Thousands of UC patient care, service workers to strike Wednesday, Thursday
November 21, 2024 // "The University's proposals include $700 million in economic increases for AFSCME members and a direct response to what AFSCME had asked for — the greater of a $25 an hour minimum wage or a 5% across-the-board raise," according to the UC. "Our proposals would increase AFSCME members' pay by an average 26% over the five-year contract. We have also proposed $75 or $100 monthly credits for AFSCME members to offset employee premium increases." University officials said the union in May stopped responding to or acknowledging the university's proposals and declared an impasse
MAINE: Fort Kent hospital nurses voting on unionizing Wednesday
January 22, 2024 // The NMMC nurses’ platform, according to a bulletin from the Maine State Nurses Association and National Nurses United, is for safer staffing and scheduling practices, retention-focused benefits, job protections, and fair and transparent wages that reward years of experience and longevity. They are also seeking an RN-elected committee to give them an equal say in patient care standards, nurse-led workplace violence prevention, adequate supplies and equipment, and improved differentials for floating shifts, charge, and precepting.
Union, hospital workers voice concerns over proposed WHS-UPMC merger
October 6, 2023 // Petro said her husband, sister, and nephew work at WHS. “If UPMC takes over and cuts wages, benefits or staffing, you see how that won’t just be a problem for me, it will upend my entire family,” said Petro. She noted SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania’s recent complaint filed with the Department of Justice alleging UPMC, the largest private employer in the state, is abusing its position to suppress wages, increase workload, and keep workers from departing to other jobs. “A UPMC takeover will not be good for Washington. We can do better. We have to do better, for the 2,000 employees and their families that count on Washington Health System for their livelihoods,” said Petro. “In the Lehigh Valley, an MRI at St. Luke’s costs $650 whereas at the (Lehigh Valley Health Network), it costs $2,010. Good data suggests this price variation and the ability to command higher and higher prices by acquiring local hospitals is one of the key drivers of consolidations,” Gabriel said. “Larger hospitals want to get bigger and bigger and that’s important to note because frequently the reason they give for consolidation is lowering our health care costs.”
Kaiser Permanente workers authorize a strike as contract deadline looms
September 7, 2023 // When it comes to the union's demand for the same wage increase for everyone, Kaiser responded in their statement, "This would not reflect market labor costs and would prevent us from addressing fair market wages." Kaiser is urging employees to reject calls to strike and instead focus on caring for patients. While both sides say they're hopeful a deal on a new contract will be reached before the deadline, if they don't and the union strikes, it's unclear what that would mean for clinics and the patients that rely on them.
The Impact Of Doctors’ Reluctance To Unionize On Private Practice
August 18, 2023 // Unionization empowers individuals to collectively negotiate better working conditions, fair compensation and greater control over their professional lives. Unfortunately, the medical profession has seen limited progress in this regard. Driven by a deeply ingrained culture of autonomy and individualism, many doctors remain hesitant to join unions or professional organizations that advocate for their rights.
Twin Cities mental health workers gather for 1-day strike
May 25, 2022 // M Health Fairview however accused SEIU of sending its demands just four days before the notice of the strike was issued, despite negotiations having been ongoing since December.