UNION CITY, Calif., June 22 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Scores of health caregivers at a community clinic in the Southeast Bay Area will strike this Weds. to highlight unfair treatment by management in their push for a new contract. A Tuesday night vigil precedes the one-day strike on Wednesday.
Managers at the clinics have outsourced services and refused to meet with the workers’ union, SEIU UHW, to discuss concerns over the issue. Use of contractors has also increased demands on workers to translate crucial healthcare information for patients, but management has refused to negotiate over bilingual pay for workers expected to perform this vital task. In addition, many of the trusted caregivers at Tiburcio Vasquez have worked in the clinic for several years. Yet management has blocked consideration of pay in recognition of such seniority.
“We all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. There is no accountability system in place for administration,” said Bertha Adame, a case manager at the clinic for 18 years and SEIU UHW member.
Local elected officials, including Union City councilmember Richard Valle and Fremont city councilmember Robert Wieckowski, joined scores of workers at a Mon. noon informational picket to express concern for the breakdown in bargaining that led to strike preparation by the SEIU UHW caregivers. They called TVHC workers a vital piece of the healthcare safety net for south Alameda County residents. Local clergy also plan to show their support Tues. for justice for Tiburcio Vasquez healthcare workers.
What: Vigil by healthcare workers at Tiburcio Vasquez clinics.
Where: 22331 Mission Boulevard, Hayward
When: Tuesday, June 23, at 7 p.m.
Visual: Candlelight vigil at dusk by healthcare workers and allies at Hayward clinic preceding Wednesday strike.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU UHW) is the largest hospital and healthcare union in the western United States with more than 150,000 members. We unite every type of healthcare worker, including nurses, professional, technical, and service classifications, with a mission to achieve high-quality healthcare for all. For more information, see www.seiu-uhw.org
SEIU, with more than 2 million members in the United States and Canada, is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services, and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare, and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, benefit from today’s global economy.
SOURCE SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West
