Gilroy – Saint Louise Regional Hospital is still negotiating
contracts for service, technical and maintenance workers, almost
four months after the previous one expired.
Gilroy – Saint Louise Regional Hospital is still negotiating contracts for service, technical and maintenance workers, almost four months after the previous one expired.
“We believe our associates want fair, competitive wages and benefits, healthy and safe working conditions and a supportive and positive atmosphere within which to carry out the mission of the hospital,” said Vivian Smith, director of public relations, business development and physician services at Saint Louise.
She contributes the delay to the Service Employees International Union’s involvement in contract negotiations with Catholic Healthcare West and Sutter Health.
“What the union seems to want may well be different (from the management) – a master contract, control of training funds, organized rights.
“We have differences in our positions,” Smith said.
SEIU members completed contract negotiations with Catholic Healthcare West in June agreeing on one contract for 28 hospitals that includes a training and upgrade fund.
The contract also guarantees to discuss retirement benefits during the next negotiation period.
SEIU members at Saint Louise and the other northern California Daughters of Charity hospitals participated in an informational picket on July 1, urging management to provide a fair contract to replace the one that expired on April 30. Workers want an education fund to provide financial support for continued training as well as retirement benefits.
SEIU also pushed for a master contract between Saint Louise, O’Connor in San Jose, Seton Medical Center in Daly City and Seton Coastside in Moss Beach, four other Northern California hospitals operated by the Daughters of Charity.
Union leaders were unavailable for comment Wednesday, but in July said that with the master contract, SEIU will ensure that high standards of patient care continue throughout the Daughters of Charity hospitals.
“It doesn’t make sense for the same corporation dealing with the same union to have different standards,” said Saint Louise union field representative Bob Downing before the July picket.
“Why should members in Gilroy have different benefits and different conditions than people 30 miles up the road at O’Connor?”
Union member and respiratory therapist Kathleen Volle took part in the picket explaining that a master contract will help create an environment at all Daughters of Charity facilities that attracts and retains quality personnel.
“We are continuing to negotiate in good faith in hopes of reaching an agreement,” Smith said.
Smith could not say when an agreement might be reached.
