1199SEIU Florida delegates from seven Tenet-affiliated hospitals in South Florida met for a Delegates Assembly on September 23 to plan for contract negotiations and develop solutions to issues that members are facing in their hospitals regarding patient care and working conditions.



Delegates discussed patient care and work environment challenges, member strength, leadership development, contract negotiations and priorities for the next year.



When asked what 1199SEIU members can do to get more involved at their hospital, Todd Wallace, a behavioral health tech who has worked at North Shore Medical Center for 19 years, cited the need to help spread the word about bargaining.



“Help spread the word about what’s going on by becoming a member of the contract action team,” said Wallace. “Speaking with other hospital employees about the issues we need to address is critical to letting everyone know what’s at stake for patients and caregivers.”



Caregivers from St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach and North Shore Medical Center in North Miami are currently in contract negotiations with their employers, and negotiations begin January 2015 for Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach, West Boca Medical Center in Boca Raton, Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah and Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center in Palm Beach Gardens.



John Toker, a materials management clerk at Good Samaritan Medical Center, talked about the importance of negotiating a new union contract that secures a quality work environment where employees can focus on delivering the best care possible.



“My favorite thing about working in healthcare is the opportunity to help save lives,” said Toker. “Patients are my utmost priority every day at Good Samaritan. Patient care is our priority, and we can better focus on providing great care to patients if we have the economic security to provide for our families.”