Members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract with 19 HCA affiliated hospitals across the state of Florida, with a significant focus on protecting healthcare jobs in the face of rapid implementation of AI and other new technologies. 

The contract, developed over months of intensive negotiations by the member-led 1199SEIU Bargaining Committee, features guaranteed raises with no caps in the first two years, as well as improvements in market adjustments, safety, staffing, scheduling, employee insurance costs, and concessions for workers regarding the implementation of AI and other new technologies. The collective bargaining agreement covers approximately 12,000 bargaining unit employees. 

The new contract includes language securing a voice for workers to provide input and an ability to meet and confer over the use of new technologies, including AI, that are already impacting healthcare jobs. HCA’s AI-based scheduling system Timpani had been causing significant problems with scheduling and unwarranted discipline, and the new language is critical to protecting workers.  

The Timpani system was co-developed by Palantir, a company run by tech billionaires that has been involved in efforts to conduct mass surveillance on individuals across the country. Billionaires are exploiting working people to make more money for themselves, and this is an important example of workers standing up to hold them accountable. 

In addition to negotiations led by union members, the bargaining campaign included a multitude of communications and actions such as petitions to management, letters/emails to the CEO, pickets and support from elected officials to build participation among workers and move the nation’s largest healthcare company to a more equitable agreement well beyond its original offer.  

HCA’s initial proposal included raises as low as 1% with caps each year of the contract and very few workplace improvements.  

“HCA is a massive company with vast resources and leverage, but by staying united and strong we were able to win key wage increases and other important workplace improvements and protections,” said Ivianne Cartamil, unit secretary at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. 

“The cost of living in Florida has gone through the roof so we really need these raises. The contract doesn’t include everything we wanted, but it’s a big help today to pay the bills and a strong step forward in boosting collective power at our facilities,” said Anthony Konger, monitor technician at HCA Florida Trinity Hospital. 

“The Bargaining Committee and all the members who participated in this campaign should be very proud of their fight to stand up against a giant like HCA that has all the advantages of money, politics and more, especially in Florida,” said DeQuasia Canales, acting Executive Vice President for 1199SEIU. “But they showed the power of workers when we unite, and we’re going to build on this collective effort in our workplaces, voting booths  and communities for even better jobs and futures for Florida working families.”