From its inception, the leftwing founders of 1199 allied themselves with the struggle of African Americans for social and economic equality. The founding pharmacy workers, most of whom were Jewish, were themselves victims of discrimination. Due in part to the anti-Semitic quota system in medical schools, many Jews settled for the pharmacy profession.
Delegates are 1199’s backbone. Without a force of specially trained, dedicated members in 1199-represented institutions, the union would not be able to negotiate and enforce contracts, grieve labor law violations and uphold our hard-won standards, benefits, and salaries—some of which are the best in the health and social service industry.
As Puerto Rico recovers from a swarm of earthquakes that have crippled the island as it just beginning to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria, members of 1199’s Latino Caucus are mobilizing to send aid to the hobbled territory and raise awareness around the issues facing Puerto Rico and other Latin countries.
When Lauren Malic was a little girl growing up in New Orleans, her dream was to become a nurse. Years later, she never lost sight of her dream, even after her family lost everything in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ripped the roof off their home. They relocated to Florida, Malic enrolled in nursing school and got a job as a transporter at UHealth Tower in Miami.
1199SEIU and the National Benefit Fund are again making available a free tax prep program for members, so they can pay only the taxes they owe and apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a tax refund for low to-moderate income families. Since its inception in 1999, the program has helped members in NYC alone file for $100 million dollars in tax refunds.
Every day, local and national news outlets churn out stories about guns and gun violence across America. From big cities like Chicago and New York, to small towns in the Midwest and Southeast, there is no corner of the nation untouched by gun violence and the debate around gun rights. According to the Giffords Law Center, 100 Americans are killed with guns every day and over 1.2 million people have been shot in the last decade.
In dire straits due to their financial mismanagement, for years The Lutheran Care Network (TLCN) operated their Delmar, NY facilities, Good Samaritan Nursing Home, and an assisted living facility, Kenwood Manor, on a shoestring budget. As the buildings deteriorated, the workers were continually challenged by short-staffing and diminished supplies. Making things worse, the employer paid the workers’ Health Benefit Fund only sporadically creating uncertainty for the caregivers whose benefits could end at any time.
For many of us, it may seem that Medicaid has been a constant part of American society—providing a much-needed healthcare safety net for seniors as well as disabled and low income adults and children.
A Day In The Life Of The Census
The 2020 Census is fast approaching, and I can’t overstate the importance of your participation.