Miembros de NUHW en Cottonwood Health Care, Woodland Nursing and Rehabilitation, y University Post-Acute Rehab han mostrado que la unión hace la fuerza.
Seis semanas después que una supermayoría de trabajadores en estos recintos firmaron y entregaron peticiones idénticas a sus respectivos administradores pidiendo salarios y beneficios justos, los empleados de Cottonwood y University consiguieron aumentos salariales de mitad de contrato que corrigen un problema que ha existido por largo tiempo: miembros con mayor señoría y experiencia que ganan menos que los que van empezando.
“Ellos (el empleador) empezaron a traer gente nueva y empezaban ganando más dinero que la gente que había estado en la instalación por muchos años”, dijo Mariella Cardenas, una CNA (asistente de enfermería) que ha trabajo en Cottonwood por dos años.
Cuando los trabajadores se quejaron por esto, el empleador erróneamente argumentó que el contrato sindical no les permitía aumentar los salarios.
Entonces, los trabajadores planearon
So the workers planned an action to be heard and for the employer to agree to their demands.
At all facilities, members signed petitions and presented them to administrators at labor–management meetings, each time packing the room and raising their demands. Workers explained how those with 20-plus years of service earned less than new hires and how unfair it was for them to earn so little while giving their all to a profitable company. After seeing the unity and strength of the workers, the administrators relented and agreed to implement the wage increases to address members’ concerns.
At University, senior employees earning less than counterparts with less seniority will get wage increases ranging from $0.25 an hour to $1.50 an hour that will go into effect February 1.
Cottonwood workers in similar situations will also see wage bumps, though they have not been specified yet.
The administrator at Woodland has yet to respond to workers’ demands, but workers will keep the pressure on to achieve the same results.
The workers took inspiration for this action from fellow nursing home workers at Novato Healthcare Center.
“Workers are happy because, even though not everybody got a raise, they saw that it was possible to get something,” Cardenas said. “Individually, we couldn’t get things done. But collectively, we can move mountains.”
