Joni Christian

May 28, 2024

Joni Christian is an auto worker and transgender rights activist who fought for and won better working conditions at General Motors. While undergoing hormonal therapy in preparation for gender confirmation therapy, Christian was bullied by coworkers who petitioned to keep her out of GM’s women’s restrooms. With the support of her union, United Auto Workers, she won a settlement and improved working conditions at GM. Since retiring in 1999, she has remained active in trans causes.

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Member Profile: Ashley Christensen

The Physical Therapist at Visiting Nurses Association of Santa Cruz is an exercise enthusiast who helped lead her coworkers in the bargaining of their new contract.

News of the Month – July 2024

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National Union of Healthcare Workers endorses Kamala Harris for president

NUHW's endorsement is based on two decades of experience working with Harris to improve the lives of California’s working families.

Stockton Unified School District workers ratify first union contract

A year after 50 district therapists organized with NUHW, they have achieved equitable pay and working conditions with their co-workers.

Sutter workers keep free healthcare in hard-fought contract wins

After pickets, strikes and extensive political outreach, more than 500 NUHW members at Sutter Health reach agreement on new contracts this month.

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Mission Neighborhood Health Center nurses join NUHW

Registered nurses win card check election, strengthening union presence at nonprofit serving San Francisco’s immigrant population.

NUHW members push Kaiser to honor Juneteenth

After NUHW members in Oakland and Richmond struck two years ago to make Kaiser Permanente recognize MLK Day as a paid holiday, they have begun organizing to do the same for Juneteenth.

Four Democratic candidates for Califoria governor to appear at NUHW Forum this September

In September, two yeears prior to the mid-term election, NUHW will host a Governor Candidate Forum

MarinHealth workers win big raises in first contract

Workers at the outpatient MRI clinic will receive on average 23 percent raises in the first year of the agreement.

State Legislature honors NUHW’s Sal Rosselli as LGBTQ icon

Rosselli was one of 16 LGBTQ leaders honored this month by both houses of the California State Legislature for their contributions to the state.

NUHW members hit picket lines at Keck-USC

With the university proposing wage freezes and healthcare cuts that would worsen an understaffing crisis, NUHW members picketed hospitals across the Keck-USC system.

Healthcare Workers to Picket Keck–USC Hospitals and Clinics, Wednesday, June 5

2,000 healthcare workers are protesting short-staffing, wage freezes, reductions in healthcare benefits, and Keck–USC’s union-busting tactics.

Kaiser mental health professionals gear up for big contract fight

In the aftermath of a successful strike in Northern California, their counterparts in Southern California are uniting behind a platform to win similar gains.

Member Profile: Benjamín Maldonado

Maldonado, a janitor at San Rafael Healthcare & Wellness Center, likes to organize teammates on the soccer field and at the workplace.

MarinHealth workers win new contract after strike

The five-year agreement includes significantly bigger raises than management had offered before workers held their first work stoppage in more than five years.

NUHW Lobby Day helps save critical patient care bill

On Mental Health Matters Day at the State Capitol, teams of NUHW members and staff met with dozens of lawmakers and their staffers to secure support for two NUHW-sponsored bills.

Nursing home workers win better salaries and benefits

Long-tenured members at a Marin County nursing home will get 8 percent raises over the next two years in addition to bridge toll reimbursements and more bereavement leave.

NUHW grows at Providence’s St. Joseph Eureka and Santa Rosa Memorial hospitals

More than 150 professionals at the two facilities voted this month to join their colleagues as NUHW members — giving NUHW more than 2,000 members at Providence facilities throughout Northern California.

Corrine Sako advocates for patients and her fellow therapists

The first-term Assemblymember from Santa Cruz lost her husband to suicide. Now she’s joining with NUHW to help Californians access the care they need and make health plans provide it.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin takes a leading role in the fight for mental health parity

The first-term Assemblymember from Santa Cruz lost her husband to suicide. Now she’s joining with NUHW to help Californians access the care they need and make health plans provide it.

NUHW endorses Aaron Peskin for San Francisco mayor

“Aaron has stood with healthcare workers on every picket line and been on the right side of every fight," said NUHW President Emeritus Sal Rosselli.

Keck-USC workers refuse to be silenced

In a show of strength, nearly 2,000 NUHW members at Keck Medicine of USC, rallied against the university’s attempt to take away their benefits or their right to advocate for patients.

San Diego Supervisors pass resolution backing Kaiser therapists

San Diego became the third county in the last six months to urge Kaiser to restore critical patient care time for mental health therapists in Southern California.

Celebrating May Day in Los Angeles

More than 2,000 workers filled the streets of Hollywood, marching and chanting before the start of a rally that included remarks from NUHW member Elnora Oseguera.

NUHW members honored for 2022 Kaiser strike

The SF Labor Council honored NUHW mental health workers for their 10-week strike that forced Kaiser to start making major improvements to its mental health services.

Member Profile: Augustin Martinez

The medical assistant and shop steward at Mission Neighborhood Health Center says being part of a union makes him feel secure and supported.

Homecare workers picket in Santa Cruz

With some patients being put on a waitlist due to lack of available caregivers, NUHW members at Sutter’s Visiting Nurse Association of Santa Cruz are fighting for better pay with no cuts to their health benefits.

Providence workers launch fight for single NorCal contract

NUHW members from across all facilities are showing up to the negotiations in a united front to win improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions.

More USC workers vote to join NUHW

After a long delay due to the university’s legal maneuverings, caregivers at the USC Engemann Student Health Center voted to join more than 2,000 of their colleagues as NUHW members.

Assembly advances NUHW-sponsored legislation

The two bills would help patients advocate for their rights and help state authorities hold health plans accountable for providing legally-required health care.

Sutter workers strike again in Sacramento with Dolores Huerta in attendance

NUHW members at Sutter Health’s Sacramento psychiatric hospital held a three-day strike as they continue to fight for a first contract with fair wages and no healthcare takeaways.

Marin workers hold first strike since 2019

More than 100 medical technicians at MarinHealth Medical Center struck for one day as they fight to protect their health benefits and win strong raises.

News of the Month — April 2024

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Q&A with Sandra Leal-Lopez, LMFT

Sandra Leal-Lopez and her colleagues in Panorama City have been creative in fighting back against Kaiser’s cut to Patient Management Time and they’re gearing up to demand more from Kaiser in contract negotiations.

Workers to strike Sutter psychiatric hospital in Sacramento for three days starting Tuesday, April 23

Workers are fighting for a contract that improves wages, preserves affordable health benefits, and addresses unsafe staffing.

Seton workers strike to restore quality health insurance

In violation of their contract, the hospital changed its health plan forcing workers to pay up to $6,000 a year to keep access to their doctors and accept a plan with few participating doctors or hospitals.

News of the Month – March 2023

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NUHW members take fight to Providence

In March, workers fought to restore birthing services at a Providence hospital in Petaluma, while Providence workers throughout the region prepared to bargain a single contract.

Los Angeles Board of Supervisors passes resolution in support of Kaiser therapists

In a unanimous vote, the board expressed its opposition to Kaiser's decision to reduce the amount of time therapists have to perform critical patient care duties.

Member Profile: Salote Lutui

The mental health specialist at Richmond Area Multi-Services wants to be a voice for her colleagues and her community as an NUHW steward.

News of the Month — March 2024

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News of the Month – February 2024

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Member Profile: Sal Goshorn

The Anesthesia Tech at USC Norris Cancer Hospital is using his bargaining experience as former president of the State Parks Peace Officers Association to serve on his 200-member Keck-USC Contract Bargaining Committee.

Kindred San Diego professional workers ratify their first union contract

After showing resolve with a three-day strike, laboratory and pharmacy workers agreed to a contract that will boost wages 23 percent over three years.

Reflecting on the longest ever mental health strike

Rachel Kaya is proud of her colleagues in Hawai’i who won a contract from Kaiser Permanente last February after a 172-day strike.

NUHW hosts Katie Porter rally

Congresswoman Porter spoke to an audience of nearly 200 supporters at NUHW’s Emeryville headquarters with local electeds and union leaders pledging to help her win the March 5 Primary Election for U.S. Senate.

NUHW sponsors new mental health parity bills

The bills, authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, would help state regulators hold accountable health plans that violate parity laws and help patients successfully advocate for their right to treatment.

NUHW expands presence at Providence San Pedro

In a major organizing victory, more than 80 rehabilitation therapists, social workers, and dietitians voted overwhelmingly to join their coworkers as NUHW members.

News of the Month – January 2024

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Member Profile: Nora Fonseca

Nora, a housekeeper at Sutter California Pacific Medical Center, walked picket lines with her mother before becoming a union leader herself at the San Francisco hospital.

Mission Neighborhood Health Center workers get big raises with contract extension

Caregivers who provide services to low-income families in San Francisco agreed to 22 percent raises as part of contract extension that runs into 2028.

Dominican Hospital workers unit to win strong contract

The four-year agreement at the Santa Cruz facility will boost wages 18 percent, while capping insurance premium increases and boosting pay for weekend work.

NUHW joins fight against anti-LGBTQ+ extremists in Glendale

NUHW members stood in solidarity this month with students, parents and teachers in Glendale where far-right agitators have held violent protests and are now seeking seats on the city’s school board.

California Assembly passes NUHW-backed “Ghost Network” bill

The bill, which now heads to the State Senate, would require health plans to maintain accurate lists of in-network providers, including mental health therapists.

NUHW members at Providence hospital get abusive managers terminated

One year after using their collective power to win a great contract, workers at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center put their power on display once again to oust problem managers in the housekeeping and engineering departments.

News of the Month – December 2023

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Workers at Aspen nursing homes fight hard for new contracts

More than 200 caregivers at three Sacramento-area nursing homes averted severe takeaways in tough negotiations with a new operator.

Seton workers picket over cuts to services and health benefits

Having successfully fought to keep their community hospital open through two bankruptcies, NUHW members are now confronting a new owner that is slashing patient care services and worker healthcare benefits.

NUHW nurses save the day at fundraiser

NUHW nurses save the day at fundraiser.

Sutter workers hold first ever strike

Fed up with severe understaffing and 18 months of fruitless contract negotiations, nearly 150 NUHW members held a one-day strike December 6 at the Sutter Center for Psychiatry in Sacramento.

Orange County Supervisors call on Kaiser to reverse cuts

The Orange County Board of Supervisors became the first elected body to pass a resolution calling on Kaiser to reverse cuts that leave therapists in Southern California with even less time to perform critical patient care duties.

NUHW membership at USC tops 2,000 with organizing victories at Verdugo Hills Hospital

In a major victory for worker power throughout the Keck-USC healthcare system, nearly 400 workers voted to join NUHW in December.

Workers to picket Seton Medical Center

Employer AMHC has cut employee health benefits to the point that many caregivers can’t afford to access care.

News of the Month – November 2023

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Member Profile: Humberto Retana

Humberto Retana is a marriage and family therapist who got involved with his union to support his coworkers and "stay close to the action."

Sutter workers picket psych hospital, authorize strike

Local media outlets covered the picket that included several local elected leaders supporting NUHW members, who have been in contract negotiations for 18 months. A one-day strike has been authorized for December 6.

After winning contract, NUHW members take concerns to county sheriff

After winning contract, NUHW members take concerns to county sheriff.

NUHW continues growth at Keck-USC Health System

Workers at the USC Spine Center are the latest USC employees to join NUHW with more union elections scheduled for December.

More hospice workers vote to join NUHW

In just 18 months NUHW has gone from not representing any hospice workers to representing nearly 400 at five workplaces. The latest to join include workers at Hospice East Bay and Sutter Care at Home Sacramento.

Member Profile: Creight Fontenelle

Creight and his nearly 1,800 coworkers are gearing up to win the best contract ever at Keck USC.

NUHW endorses Katie Porter for U.S. Senate

The endorsement was decided by NUHW members who voted to endorse the Orange County congress member following a candidate forum during our Leadership Conference in Los Angeles.

News of the Month – October 2023

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Kindred San Diego workers strike for fair pay

Approximately 20 pharmacy and laboratory workers held a three-day strike demanding wage increases on par with what their NUHW-represented colleagues recently won at the hospital.

Newsom signs NUHW-backed universal healthcare bill

NUHW helped spearhead the bill to move California farther along the path to a universal healthcare system through its leadership in Healthy California Now, the state’s largest coalition of single-payer, Medicare for All healthcare advocates.

Kindred Bay Area workers win better salaries and benefits

Kindred Bay Area workers win better salaries and benefits.

Historic settlement: Kaiser agrees to pay record fine, spend $150 million to improve mental health services

In a major victory for Kaiser therapists and patients, Kaiser acknowledged systemic failures in its mental healthcare system and committed to addressing them. The agreement settled two state investigations, one of which found that Kaiser had canceled over 111,000 therapy appointments during last year’s 10-week strike.

Nearly 500 workers join NUHW in October

Approximately 470 workers at a major Providence hospital voted to join NUHW, while smaller groups workers at two facilities voted to join their colleagues as NUHW members.

Kaiser homecare workers fight back to preserve quality care

Instead of providing adequate staffing levels, Kaiser is seeking to force homecare workers to work across established service lines and service areas, threatening patients with longer waits for care.

Victory for Medical Social Workers at Kaiser

Medical Social Workers in Kern County recently won open schedules and ended the practice of booked appointments in their department. The old booking practice had interfered with their autonomy and opened the door for micromanagement.

NUHW-backed universal healthcare bill heads to governor’s desk

SB 770, which passed the Assembly in September, would pave the way to guaranteeing healthcare for all Californians.

Member Profile: Billie Jean Barton

As NUHW members at Providence hospitals in Northern California prepare to bargain their next contract, union steward Billie Jean Barton is encouraging her coworkers — including her own son — to get involved in the negotiations.

News of the Month – September 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Thomas Christian

Following his father’s example, Thomas Christian is outspoken in his advocacy for his co-workers.

News of the Month – September 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

NUHW further expands presence at Keck-USC healthcare system

Seeking the same job security and benefits as their NUHW colleagues, Pasadena Lab workers voted unanimously to unionize.

Workers get Penalty Pay extended at a major Providence hospital

After a year of paycheck errors that triggered a fierce response from stewards, NUHW members at Queen of the Valley Medical Center secured $250 in penalty pay for any future errors.

Complaint seeks to downgrade Kaiser’s accreditation status in Hawai’i

In filing complaint with Kaiser’s accreditation agency, NUHW cites HMO’s failure to meet the mental health staffing levels it had agreed to in its Corrective Action Plan.

Kaiser Model of Care Committees off to good start

In part due the mental health timely access law NUHW sponsored, Model of Care Committees in Northern California have made strong recommendations to increase access and reduce caseloads.

Poised to strike, workers win big raises at Anaheim hospital

NUHW’s newest members at West Anaheim Medical Center will receive average wage increases of 26 percent with some workers securing 61 percent raises over the next three years.

Member Profile: Michael Camarena

Michael Camarena, a pharmacy tech at West Anaheim Medical Center, is helping lead coworkers in their fight for safe staffing and better pay.

A small contract provision makes a big difference for patients

NUHW contract at San Francisco nonprofit includes language helping therapists with immigration paperwork so patients get culturally competent care.

New NUHW members picket West Anaheim Medical Center over short staffing, poverty wages

Seven months after voting to join their colleagues as members of NUHW, workers formed picket lines to demand fair treatment and better wages.

Opposition growing to Kaiser’s patient care takeaways

Elected officials, including Rep. Katie Porter (shown above), are joining NUHW members in opposing an attempt by Kaiser to reduce the amount of time mental health therapists in Southern California would have for critical patient care duties.

LA LGBT Center workers ratify contract with improved salaries and security measures

The three-year agreement will boost wages by an average of 22 percent and provide safer working conditions amid a sharp rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes.

News of the Month – July 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Isidro Sanchez

During his 17 years at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Isidro Sanchez has helped build a union that helped workers win respect and significantly higher pay from their employer.

News of the Month – June 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Phlebotomists win higher salaries, $6,000 in back wages

Shortly before a grievance was set to go to arbitration, Queen of the Valley Medical Center agreed to create a higher-paying Phlebotomist classification and pay several workers who should have been receiving higher wages for over a year.

Workers ready to picket West Anaheim Medical Center

Elected officials and community allies are supporting NUHW members in their fight for a fair contract.

NUHW-backed reform bill clears key Assembly committee

After sailing through the State Senate, SB 770, a bill that would set the stage for groundbreaking reform of California’s healthcare financing and delivery system, advanced out of the State Assembly’s Health Committee.

NUHW passes Pride Month resolution against growing extremist violence

Amid growing extremist violence against the LGBTQ+ community, NUHW’s Executive Board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution rejecting LGBTQ+ hate.

Workers at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland ratify new contracts, averting second strike

The new contracts for more than 1,300 NUHW members include provisions to protect quality pediatric care in the East Bay as well as substantial pay increases and job security protections.

News of the Month – April 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

Member Profile: Avleen Kaur

Whether it’s singing, reciting poetry, or defending her colleagues, the mental health counselor at Richmond Area Multi-Services never hesitates to make herself heard.

News of the Month – May 2023

Read our roundup of the latest labor and healthcare news from top media outlets.

NUHW participates in Mental Health Matters Day

The annual mental health advocacy event in Sacramento presented an opportunity for NUHW members to meet peers and inform the public about our ongoing parity work.

NUHW expands presence at Keck-USC healthcare system

Nearly two dozen workers at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center voted to join more than 1,700 of their Keck-USC colleagues as NUHW members.

Kindred San Diego workers ratify contract with 26 percent average wage increases

New agreement includes the highest wage scale of any Kindred hospital in Southern California.

Fighting to save birthing services in Petaluma

Chanting “Keep OB Open,” dozens of workers protested the closure of Petaluma Valley Hospital’s birthing center and vowed to continue fighting to reopen it.

UCSF Children’s Hospital Oakland workers authorize second strike

More than 1,300 NUHW members are preparing for a potential three-day strike after UCSF refused to make movement in contract negotiations following a one-day strike in April.

Mental health patients now have legal precedent on their side

In a unanimous ruling, an appeals court revived a class-action lawsuit by families of Kaiser Permanente patients who claim they or their loved ones did not receive adequate mental health care. The ruling is now legal precedent in California.

State Senate passes NUHW-backed bill to put California on pathway to guaranteed healthcare

SB 770 aims to make California the first state to guarantee its residents a standard set of comprehensive, high quality health benefits.

Member Profile: Marlene Castro

The highly-respected Seton Medical Center social worker and case manager helped her colleagues secure their first contract.

Historic LGBTQ+ organization honors NUHW

NUHW was named Organization of the Year by the Stonewall Democratic Club, the largest LGBTQ+, feminist, and progressive political advocacy organization in Southern California.

Workers at Rogers Mental Health Clinic and Wellpath Santa Cruz jail vote to join NUHW

The newest NUHW members want to improve care for their patients, while securing fair wages and better working conditions.

State Senate advances NUHW-sponsored healthcare reform bill

SB 770 would set California on a path to becoming the first U.S. state to create a healthcare system in which no resident is denied care based on age, employment, disability, income, immigration status, or any other characteristic.

NUHW continues growth at Keck-USC

Workers at the USC Downtown Clinic overwhelmingly voted to join NUHW, while our union's more than 1,700 members at Keck-USC helped their colleagues beat back the university's attempt to deny raises to new NUHW members at the Roski Eye Institute.

NUHW members hold largest-ever strike at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland

Since a 2014 affiliation agreement put UCSF Health in control of the non-profit 223-bed Oakland hospital and satellite clinics, NUHW members and their colleagues have repeatedly raised concerns about UCSF under-resourcing care in the East Bay.

Member Profile: Shannon Signer

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital radiology tech uses her retail and teaching experience to advocate for coworkers

NUHW members get Fountain Valley Regional Hospital cited for inadequate care

Investigation by California regulator confirms hundreds of complaints filed by NUHW members about the hospital’s unsafe staffing levels.

How NUHW members won a great contract at Providence Tarzana

After failing to accomplish their goals in their previous contract campaign, workers at Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center built unprecedented unity to win bigger raises and other gains this year.

NUHW on leading edge of fight for charity care

Several years before prosecutors filed a lawsuit against Providence for sending debt collectors after patients who qualified for free care, NUHW members were blowing the whistle on its charity care violations in California.

NUHW members at Elk Grove Unified School District win big raises

After re-opening their contract last year, the workers secured a 10 percent retroactive raise as well as an additional bonus and better benefits.

Fountain Valley NUHW members honored at economic justice gala

At its annual Architects of Justice Awards banquet this month, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice honored the approximately 850 nurses and professional workers at the Tenet hospital who joined NUHW last year and won a contract with strong raises and patient protections.

Member Profile: Lucy Cisneros

Petaluma Valley Hospital ultrasound tech brings her fighting spirit from the tennis court to her Providence (St. Joseph) hospital.

Mental health therapists at Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii ratify contract ending 172-day strike

The three-year agreement preserves pensions and includes guaranteed raises without which Kaiser stood to lose even more therapists, resulting in even longer appointment wait times for patients.

NUHW members help lead fight to save acclaimed birthing center

With Providence (St. Joseph Health) seeking to close the birthing center at Petaluma Valley Hospital in violation of its purchase agreement, caregivers are joining forces with community leaders to save the facility.

Providence St. Joseph Health hospice workers join NUHW

Fighting to preserve their patient-first principles amid layoffs and cutbacks, the Sonoma County workers united behind the organizing drive.

Newly unionized Sutter caregivers win fight for merit raises

Sutter halted merit raises after workers voted to join NUHW, but workers stayed united, fought back and settled a complaint requiring that Sutter restore the raises with interest.

Seton professionals win long battle for better wages

After more than a year at the bargaining table, workers won 16 percent raises over three years.

Kindred workers in San Diego gain voluntary union recognition

With worker support for joining NUHW crystal clear, the hospital chain opted to recognize their union rather than to request a formal vote.

News of the Month – February 2023

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Find out how much you’d save with Medicare for All

The Sacramento Bee recently ran a commentary about a tool designed by Healthy California Now and NUHW letting Californians calculate how much money they’d save if the state adopted a single-payer Medicare for All healthcare system. Find out how much you'd save.

Joni Christian

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