Since the first group of workers at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, organized and fought to become 1199 members more than four decades ago in 1972, the health care workers at this Mid-Hudson Valley hospital have taken on many fights to protect their contract and strengthen their union.

Recently, the hospital’s management is at it again, according to Frances Bun, a PC Tech in the OR, who has worked at the hospital for 47 years, “In all my years here I have seen the ups and the downs and the only way we ever won was by sticking together. This time is no different.”

Among several problems that members are addressing now is management’s continued practice of using unscheduled personal, holiday and vacation time absences for purposes of discipline, despite the fact that an arbitrator has determined it should stop.

“It appears that the hospital management wants us to take 100 steps backward, but I have many co-workers who have fought too long and hard to let that happen,” said Stacy Rogan, a Radiology Assistant for the past four years. “And every time management arbitrarily changes a policy or unfairly challenges us, morale is shaken. With that, there are consequences for quality patient care. We are all here because we want to give the best care possible to our patients, without unnecessary obstacles.”

Another major problem is management’s constant hiring of per diem and temporary workers, who cannot accrue full-time workers benefits, including health coverage, pension, as well as vacation, sick time, holidays and personal days. The fact that per diem workers are almost always on the schedule, working many hours indicates that there are plenty of vacant positions.

“Hiring so many per diem workers without benefits is simply a way of trying to water down and weaken our contract,” said Bun.

Ray Butler, who has worked in the Food and Nutrition Department for the last 18 years, will be retiring next month. “I want my co-workers to be able to have what I fought hard for. Right now management is not respecting our contract and they’re not respecting us as the people who keep the hospital going.”

1199SEIU members have been holding department and chapter meetings to discuss the issues and possible solutions.

“In addition to using the grievance process that is lined out in our contract, there are many things we can do to show we are strong,” said delegate Kevin Gyscek-Strauss. “Petitioning the employer and wearing stickers, for instance. But if the employer continues to disregard what we are saying, an informational picket is not out of the question. We are considering it.”

Riva Russell, a Patient Care Tech at the hospital’s Care Center has been facing uncertainty at her job since it was announced that the Center’s services will be delivered by a provider other than Vassar Brothers. “We can get through this,” said Russell. “We are 1199 members with a legally binding contract and we will remind management of that fact as many times as we need to. There is no doubt in my mind that by working together we will get past these hard times, just like the members did when they first organized our union years ago.”