New Study Outlines Path to Safeguard Quality Patient Care and Healthcare Jobs in Lynn

As a union of healthcare workers, the majority of whom are women, we know how important it is to protect the right to choose and access to affordable, quality women’s health. We applaud Governor Cuomo’s proposal to codify the right to choose established by Roe V. Wade in the New York State constitution, and we call on state legislators to support this amendment.

Boston, MA (January 31, 2017) – 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital announced today agreement on a free and fair elections process that allows specific workers to decide on their own whether or not to join 1199SEIU. In response, Tyrék D. Lee, Sr., Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, issued the following statement:

Boston, MA (January 30, 2017) – Days after Senate Republican leadership delayed fast-food CEO and multi-millionaire Andy Puzder’s confirmation hearings for U.S. Secretary of Labor for the third time, working people today delivered hundreds of thousands of petitions to Senator Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and urged her to vote against Puzder’s nomination.

SB379 builds on Maryland’s current authority to establish a “Hospital Employees Retraining Program” for the retraining and placement of hospital employees who are unemployed or may become unemployed as a result of the closing, delicensing, downsizing, or possible downsizing of a hospital or merging of hospitals.

Members, family, and friends gathered at Strong Memorial Hospital on Monday, January 16 for the 36th annual 1199SEIU Rochester tribute to the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through song, dance, and poetry. Many of the presenters were talented children with wisdom beyond their years.

“As union members, we know that the #1 priority for working Americans is good jobs and economic progress. That is one of the major reasons why we strongly oppose the construction of any dirty fuel pipelines, including Dakota Access and Keystone XL. Oil, coal and gas are relics of the old economy that create few permanent jobs while costing Americans billions of dollars related to health problems from pollution and clean-ups from spills.

On Jan. 20, Midtown Manhattan belonged to the 400,000 women and men who flooded the city’s streets and unequivocally declared their support for women’s rights and equality. The New York march, while massive, was only one of scores across the country and the world called to promote the rights of women as well as others that have been targeted by the Trump administration.

This January, Rite Aid and Walgreens expect to finalize their merger, making Walgreens the largest retail pharmacy chain in the world. This could hurt consumers and working New Yorkers by driving up prescription pricing and stopping competition in the market.

It's been a few weeks into the New Year, and already we're standing up, speaking out, and continuing to build our movement for quality care, quality jobs and true social, economic and racial justice for all. Take a look at what we're up to and what's in store!

Today we welcome more than 500 new members from Mercy Medical Center into the 1199SEIU family.