Workers at St. Francis Medical Center Say "Union Yes!"

Yesterday, nearly 600 workers at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California overwhelmingly voted to join UHW so they can have a powerful voice to enhance patient care, increase staffing levels and make other improvements at their hospital.

Despite employer opposition, workers at St. Francis were determined to join UHW and never gave up hope of forming a union. As a result of the election, service and skilled maintenance employees at St. Francis Medical Center will become UHW members and join 250 of their fellow co-workers at the facility who are already UHW members.

The 600 newly organized members will now have a seat at the table as they negotiate their first contract. They will be joining the over 75,000 UHW hospital and nursing home workers who are in negotiations throughout 2008.

St. Francis Medical Center is part of the Daughters of Charity Health System, a regional healthcare system of six hospitals spanning from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. UHW represents workers at 5 of the 6 Daughters of Charity facilities. Nearly 2000 Daughters of Charity workers began negotiations for their next contract earlier this week in San Jose.