Last week, advocating on behalf of several thousand employees represented by 1199SEIU Florida, a delegation of workers from Tenet-affiliated hospitals in California, Florida, and Missouri delivered oversized postcards to the Tenet Healthcare Corporations’ headquarters in Dallas, TX.



After more than 10 months of ongoing contract negotiations, caregivers from each of the five South Florida Tenet-affiliated hospitals arrived at Tenet’s corporate headquarters to deliver the message, “Time’s up!”



A Tenet Healthcare Corporation representative repeatedly told the caregivers that the company was only willing to speak to the union’s lawyers. When the delegation demanded to meet with a representative from Tenet, the messenger replied, “I was told to tell you that they’re not going to meet with you today.” He also refused to deliver the postcards upstairs.



“While we didn’t get to speak directly with executives in Dallas, we made our voices heard loud and clear!” proclaimed Emmanuel St. Hilaire, a Radiology Technician from North Shore Medical Center – FMC Campus.



“It was very uplifting to stand united with my brothers and sisters from Missouri and California at Tenet’s corporate headquarters in Dallas and I am very encouraged for future collective bargaining sessions.”



To increase the volume of their message in Dallas, 1199 caregivers held pickets at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and Palmetto General Hospital on the same day.



“Even when we are tired and feel overworked, we make sure our patients get first-rate care … So Tenet needs to step up and sign our contract!” said Sandra Colscock, a nurse at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, from the picket line in front of Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center.