It’s hard to be more unified than the workers at Kindred Santa Cruz. Not long after they performed the rare feat of getting 100 percent turnout to an informational picket, they won a new contract and ratified it unanimously.
The four-year agreement includes raises of up to 18 percent for the approximately 25 occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists employed by Kindred while providing care at Dominican Hospital’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center in Santa Cruz.
After securing their first contract several years ago, the workers ensured they had a stronger, more diverse bargaining team this time, which paid dividends at the table.
“This is an improvement on our last contract,” said pediatric physical therapist Lilly Sell, a pediatric physical therapist who served on the bargaining team for both contract campaigns. “We were able to get a four-year contract and four percent raises every year and a little extra for our per diem workers. A lot of our regular people have had to get a job somewhere else and this will help.”
Sell said that negotiations began very slowly in February with infrequent meetings, but things began to speed up following an informational picket the workers held after work in mid-September.
“Once we did it, it seemed they were meeting with us more regularly; they were more willing to give more in the negotiations,” she said.
The agreement, which expires in 2028, includes wage hikes of 16 percent for full-time and part-time workers over the next four years and 18 percent for per diem employees, who account for a large portion of the workers. Workers will also accrue one additional day of paid time off per year and see a $50 increase to their health savings account per year.
Sell said the contract is a “step up from what we did three years ago” and a marked increase from the years before they joined the union when they were getting one percent yearly raises.
“Since we joined NUHW, it’s been beneficial for the therapists,” she said. “I’m happy with the union.”
