Hospital workers make the best advocates


I've always wanted to become a nurse, but there were too many obstacles in my way – I had kids to raise, on my own, with just a nurse assistant salary. Now, because of the joint labor management training fund at my hospital, I get my tuition for nursing school paid for upfront. I'm back in school – on my way to achieving my lifelong dream and raising up the standard of living for my family."
- Shelly Smith of Dorchester

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Shelly Smith on NECN: 1199SEIU addresses the nursing shortage

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Labor-management relations have been historically characterized by antagonism and it has generally been accepted that unions and business leaders have opposing interests. But the pressures and rapid changes in today’s health care industry have made it vital to forge a new model for labor-management relations. The Service Employees International Union has been at the forefront of working with hospital leadership to identify and work toward shared goals.

This innovative and pragmatic approach has led to many concrete successes, particularly in the areas of worker training and education, expanding access to health care, protecting health care funding, and improving both patient outcomes and satisfaction. In fact, this model has been so successful that SEIU is now beginning a program to work cooperatively with hospital systems nationwide.

Some concrete successes

Training, recruitment and retention
In the most fully developed example of labor-management cooperation in the country, 1199SEIU has worked with over 300 New York hospitals and nursing homes to create the jointly-run Employment, Training and Job Security Program. With over $40 million in assets per year, the training fund is the largest in the nation and offers education opportunities to over 30,000 caregivers a year.

The foundations of joint health care training in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, 1199SEIU has formed a similar joint labor-management Training and Upgrading Fund (TUF) with Boston Medical Center, Cape Cod Healthcare, Radius Inc., and Lynn Community Health Center. The program is funded by employer contributions and grants. Employers and 1199 members jointly focus on labor shortages, address training needs and apply for grants. In the most successful example, the Training Fund at Boston Medical Center counseled, assessed and enrolled over 180 students as of January 2007 in tuition voucher, tuition reimbursement and continuing professional education programs.

Also in Massachusetts, 1199SEIU is working with Union Hospital, Marlborough Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance and Cape Cod Health Systems to garner Health Care Advancement Project (HCAP) funding. HCAP is an innovative hybrid model of in-class training, distance learning, and virtual reality care simulation robotics being used to train current health care workers to become Registered Nurses.

Advocating for funding and access to care
Over the years, SEIU members have come to realize that workers and administrators share many of the same legislative goals, such as hospital funding. Since then, there have been many instances where SEIU members have worked closely with individual hospitals and their trade associations to win significant legislative victories.

  • Recently, Massachusetts 1199SEIU members worked side by side with the Hospital Association to pass the Healthcare Expansion Legislation. Now, 1199SEIU is closely involved in the legislation’s implementation to ensure hospitals are adequately reimbursed and working families have access to affordable plans.

For more information on examples of unionized health care workers and hospital leaders working together toward shared goals, e-mail media@fairunionelections.org or call 617-284-1102.