On February 7, in an emotional victory, both the RN and Service and Technical units at West Boca Medical Center reaffirmed their commitment to stay united in 1199SEIU.



Late last year, like thousands of Tenet Healthcare Corporation employees across Florida, caregivers at West Boca Medical Center ratified their first Union contract. The path toward securing their contract was long but, through determination and commitment, employees at West Boca gained critical improvements and protections in the workplace.



“After team work and perseverance I am proud that we have all the same improvements and protections as thousands of other Tenet employees across Florida,” said Marie Pennington, an RN and a member of the negotiating committee.



For the first time, employees at West Boca are guaranteed fairness on the job because their contract establishes an official grievance procedure. The contract also includes annual wage increases, a two percentbonus in April, and more sick days.



Lisa Bracci, a Patient Care Technician in Telemetry, feels the Union contract has already made a big impact on her life. “Before we had a contract, I could never count on getting a raise. In this difficult economy I know I can keep up because our contract guarantees I will get a raise for the next three years,” she said. “And now that we have a Union, I know my job is safe.”



At a time when Florida’s healthcare sector has steadily grown despite a lagging economy, more than 14,000 private sector healthcare workers, belonging to 27 hospitals, are united in 1199SEIU.