The strength of a union contract provides many ongoing benefits for thousands of 1199SEIU member nurses across Florida.  These include higher wages and benefits to support their families; protections to stay safer on the job; representation when issues arise with management; a stronger united voice in the workplace and a seat at the table; and much more. 

Among recent victories for our nurses include new contracts at some Tenet Health Care facilities featuring no wage caps and increasing wage scales for all three years of the agreement.  The new contracts also include wage equity process to ensure pay for current employees is raised to at least match new employees hired at a higher rate; and at St. Mary’s Medical Center, RNs also successfully negotiated weekend differentials of $2 per hour and fairer scheduling on weekends and holidays between staff and per diem nurses.

At UHealth Tower, 1199SEIU nurses recently benefitted from wage equity provisions in their contract. Through ongoing monitoring, it was learned new employees were hired at higher in-rates than the wages of longtime staff with more experience. Through 1199SEIU, grievances were filed showing licensing and education, resulting in pay increases.

“We stand up so much stronger together as a union when it comes to negotiating wages, protecting our rights and licenses, resolving issues in facilities and much more,” said Cheryl Wikel, an RN at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach. “Without our union contracts we would have to just accept whatever the employers wanted to give or take away.” 

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