HOLLISTER
Joining more than 95,000 other health care workers, 160 Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital employees are petitioning to leave Service Employees International Union to join the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
A local union steward and Hazel Hawkins employee told the Free Lance that her reasons for wanting to switch unions are, among others, she was asked to resign her steward position and was inadequately represented by SEIU.
“We have a choice at this point and my choice was to go with the new union,” said Patsy Myers, environmental services department worker and SEIU union steward.
SEIU has been representing Hazel Hawkins employees for about three years, Myers said. She added that it took the Hollister-based hospital many years to get union representation.
The contract with SEIU is coming up for re-negotiation in June, and Myers said she is planning to switch.
Sadie Crabtree, a spokeswoman with NUHW, explained some of the reasons why so many health care workers are leaving SEIU.
“One of the reasons to leave SEIU is it sells out workers and affects patient right,” Crabtree said. “Healthcare workers want a union that stands up for patients. Workers just want a union that they have a say in and higher standards for hospital workers.”
SEIU has kicked workers out of bargaining sessions, removed union stewards out of their positions and made back-room deals, Crabtree said.
Like many other SEIU union stewards, Myers said the group has asked her to step aside as a steward and that she has been asked to not participate in union meetings. She said people are confused with the current union situation and both sides are saying things that aren’t true.
Crabtree said that although the workers don’t have the rights to leave SEIU, they want to be back in a familiar scenario of control.
“They want to be like the union they used to have for years,” she said.
According to a press release from NUHW, SEIU has been increasing its efforts to stop workers from leaving that union.
“SEIU has used legal tricks to stall the elections,” Crabtree said. “Workers want a vote to change unions. SEIU has not allowed a single facility to vote.”
Myers said that in her experience with NUHW, it listens to the people and they are really open to he problems at the hospital.
“When we can’t resolve a problem, we go to the rep and they take care of business. With SEIU, I went for help and was told we are not here to do that,” she said. Myers added that she feels a “coldness” working with SEIU.
“My personal opinion is that they don’t care,” Myers said.
Hazel Hawkins spokeswoman Frankie Arballo said there is no news about the employees changing unions at this time.
“They are in the process of things but there is no vote scheduled and nothing is taking place,” she said. Arballo added that there might be something more to report next week.
According to a press release from NUHW, many SEIU members have petitioned to leave that group to join the Oakland-based NUHW for a stronger voice on the job and a more democratic voice in their union.
Hazel Hawkins Hospital is not the only health care provider to have employees wanting to switch unions. Around a dozen hospital workers at Saint Louise Regional Hospital in Gilroy picketed in the rain on Tuesday over their desire to leave SEIU.
The workers picketed to regain their voting rights in the union and bring the control back to the employees.
Hazel Hawkins workers filed petitions with the California Public Employment Relations Board on Monday.
An SEIU representative could not be reached for comment before publication.
