BALTIMORE —Caregivers at Sinai Hospital are planning a candlelight demonstration this week to call for a fair contract and to protest hikes in healthcare costs in the hospital’s latest proposal.
Approximately 570 service, maintenance and technical workers at Sinai Hospital are members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, and have been bargaining for a new contract since September 2014. Set to expire on February 19, 2015, the current contract has been extended seversal times since negotiations began.
Both Sinai Hospital and its parent company, LifeBridge Health, have been very profitable for the past 4 years. Their profit margins show continued growth; while Sinai is offering workers 2% raises in this contract, members of their management team have seen increases in wages and bonuses of up to 36% over three years.
However, workers at Sinai have not reaped the same benefits from the hospital’s financial success. A number of Sinai workers earn far below the poverty level for a family of four, which is $11.47 an hour; some of the lowest-paid workers earn less than $10.80 an hour.
Management also proposes to raise the cost of workers’ healthcare benefits by 3.3%, making it more costly for workers to take care of their personal health. Management is also rejecting union proposals that would help workers access health benefits and make prescriptions and certain physician visits more affordable.
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With over 400,000 caregivers, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Almost 10,000 caregivers in Maryland and D.C. are united in 1199SEIU. Together, they work to ensure quality care and quality jobs for all.
Approximately 570 service, maintenance and technical workers at Sinai Hospital are members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, and have been bargaining for a new contract since September 2014. Set to expire on February 19, 2015, the current contract has been extended seversal times since negotiations began.
Both Sinai Hospital and its parent company, LifeBridge Health, have been very profitable for the past 4 years. Their profit margins show continued growth; while Sinai is offering workers 2% raises in this contract, members of their management team have seen increases in wages and bonuses of up to 36% over three years.
However, workers at Sinai have not reaped the same benefits from the hospital’s financial success. A number of Sinai workers earn far below the poverty level for a family of four, which is $11.47 an hour; some of the lowest-paid workers earn less than $10.80 an hour.
Management also proposes to raise the cost of workers’ healthcare benefits by 3.3%, making it more costly for workers to take care of their personal health. Management is also rejecting union proposals that would help workers access health benefits and make prescriptions and certain physician visits more affordable.
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With over 400,000 caregivers, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Almost 10,000 caregivers in Maryland and D.C. are united in 1199SEIU. Together, they work to ensure quality care and quality jobs for all.
