Caregivers at SF’s Chinese Hospital Settle Industry-Standard Contract Which Will Protect & Improve Patient Care
Contract was settled in just 3 bargaining sessions, in stark contrast to contentious negotiations with the Sutter corporation, which has refused to bargain in good faith
San Francisco, CA - On Tuesday, April 5, members of SEIU United Healthcare Workers at Chinese Hospital in San Francisco settled a contract which includes all the patient care standards for the industry. The standards include giving hospital workers a voice to improve staffing and patient care, with disputes settled by a neutral healthcare expert. Also, Chinese hospital agreed to contribute to a statewide training and education fund, which is jointly administered by labor and management and helps caregivers advance into hard to fill positions. The agreement also includes fully-paid retiree health insurance, pension improvements, and wage increases. It took just three bargaining sessions to reach the agreement, which still needs to be ratified by UHW members in the coming weeks.
“We’re happy we won a contract that has all the industry standards,” said Sabrina Wong, a Central Supply Processing Tech. “It’s good to know our small, independent community hospital is following the same standards as Kaiser.”
“Here’s Chinese Hospital on the one hand, a truly community-based, not-for-profit hospital, agreeing to all the patient care standards for the industry like a voice in staffing for caregivers and a training fund,” said Sal Rosselli, UHW President. “Then on the other hand, you have the largest hospital corporation in the state, Sutter, which made $465 million in profits, and it won’t even bargain in good faith. It’s shameful, and Sutter’s actions are bad for patients, caregivers and communities.”
The 70 Chinese Hospital workers covered under the agreement include Licensed Vocational Nurses, Radiology Techs, Certified Nurse Assistants, Housekeepers, Food Service Workers and others.
Nearly every hospital in Northern California except Sutter has agreed to the patient care standards, including all Kaiser hospitals, Catholic Healthcare West hospitals, Washington Hospital in Fremont, Alameda Hospital and Doctors Medical Center San Pablo/Pinole.
