Frustrated by “eroding” compensation, inadequate scheduling standards, and unfair workplace practices, 21 pharmacists at MarinHealth Medical Center recently voted to join NUHW.
Their path to organizing victory wasn’t easy. Management tried to intimidate them out of unionizing and then argued unsuccessfully to the National Labor Relations Board that they didn’t qualify to become union members.
“The hospital vehemently tried to deny our right to join a union by falsely claiming that we were supervisors,” said Eugene Malmquist, who has worked for 22 years at the 327-bed public district hospital that also serves as a Level III trauma center. “They paid their high-priced lawyers to put forth a weak argument that was decisively struck down by the NLRB judge.
The workers’ unionization effort was motivated by their fellow pharmacy technicians at the hospital, who staged a one-day strike last year. The hospital quickly agreed to a contract that will increase pay by an average of 19 percent over five years.
Workers from MarinHealth Outpatient MRI Clinic, who participated in the one-day strike alongside their hospital colleagues, also agreed to a five-year contract that includes an average compensation increase of 23 percent in the first year.
“We are forming a union so that pharmacists are not left as one of the only professionals employed by the hospital who are not represented by a collective bargaining agreement,” Malmquist said.
The recently unionized workers will negotiate their own separate contract. They aim to have a strong voice in matters related to patient care at the hospital. Additionally, they seek fair and competitive wages, especially considering that they are in one of the nation’s most expensive counties. They also want job security, which includes a process for disputing wrongful discipline and harassment.
“I can’t wait for us to negotiate improvements to our compensation and working conditions,” Malmquist said. “Together, I’m confident we can make this pharmacy safe and fair.”
