1199SEIU Massachusetts Roundup: February 17, 2017

February 17, 2017

The snowy weather won't slow us down! 1199ers are taking action, settling contracts and standing up for quality care. Take a look:


1199SEIU Action Alert: Tuesday, February 21 We Will Persist Rally

As our Massachusetts Congressional delegation gets ready to go back to D.C., let’s join together, stand with our allies in Congress and continue to send a clear message to Washington: We will continue to fight. Our voices will not be silenced. We will persist. We need to speak up and take action to protect our communities. We stand with immigrants, the LGBTQ community, Muslims and all who have been targeted by an extremist agenda. Click here for the Facebook event.

WHEN:

Tuesday, February 21 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Boston Irish Famine Memorial

Washington and School Streets, Downtown Crossing, Boston


Tobey Hospital workers ratify two-year agreement

1199ers at Tobey Hospital in Wareham, MA voted Tuesday, February 14 to ratify a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract. This is the first time in several years that Tobey Hospital will have a multi-year agreement. Congrats to the hard work that went into bargaining!

As always, longtime 1199SEIU delegate Chris D'Acci was a strong leader in the negotiations. This will likely be her last time bargaining because she is soon due to retire. Chris is a surgical technician who works diligently to provide quality care to her patients. She has long been fighting for multi-year contracts because "language is critical"– so it is fitting that her last contract is so strong. Congratulations to Tobey Hospital workers, and a special shoutout to Chris!

Statement from 1199SEIU on Withdrawal of Andrew Puzder’s Nomination for Secretary of Labor

The following is a statement from Tyrék D. Lee, Sr., Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, on the withdrawal of Andrew Puzder’s nomination for Secretary of Labor:

Andrew Puzder’s withdrawal from consideration as the next Secretary of Labor is a victory for working Americans. Perhaps no individual is more ill-suited for this critical position than Puzder, who has made anti-worker and anti-union policies a hallmark of his career. He is a vocal opponent of raising the minimum wage, and has fought against fair wages, workplace safety, gender equality and virtually every other issue of importance to working Americans. In this era of rising income inequality, we need a Secretary of Labor who will fight for policies that will improve the lives of working families and make our economystronger for everyone.

Full link to statement here.

1199ers at Country Manor Nursing Home settle four-year contract with significant raises

This week, 1199ers at Country Manor Nursing & Rehab Center in Newburyport, MA settled a four-year agreement with management. Highlights include significant raises for CNAs, LPNs, RNs and non-CNA and an additional 8 hours in sick leave benefits. Congrats to the Long Term Care team and the Country Manor Bargaining Committee on this important victory!

1199ers send their thanks to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation for fighting for #CareNotChaos

This Valentine's Day, we showed some love to our Massachusetts Congressional Delegation and thanked them for fighting to protect affordable healthcare. 1199ers emailed 500 messages to our Members of Congress, sent video message, and posted messages of support online.

Take a look at some of our posts and be sure to like and share!

  1. Facebook video
  2. Tweets here, here, & here
  3. Instagram post

It's not too late to join in on the action! Post your own message with the hashtag #CareNotChaos, and send an email to members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation by clicking here!


We are planning in-district meetings to discuss our issues agenda and legislative priorities with state legislators in the coming weeks. For more information and to attend a meeting near you, call the Political Action Department at 617-284-1199.