Wednesday, September 9, 2015

SEIU-UHW Is "MIA" as Hospital Fires Entire Department, then Subcontracts their Work


Under Dave Regan, SEIU-UHW has become notorious for failing to represent and defend its dues-paying members.

Last month, however, Regan hit a brand new low.

At Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles, SEIU-UHW allowed the CEO to fire the hospital's entire Respiratory Therapy Department and to subcontract workers' jobs to an outside agency.

Approximately 20-30% of the fired workers were then hired by the subcontractor at reduced wage rates, according to an article published by "RT Focus."

The others?  "They have lost their benefits and their livelihood," says RT Focus.

Did SEIU-UHW do anything to defend the Respiratory Department's staff, who are members of SEIU-UHW?

According to RT Focus:
Despite being under the Union, there was little noise being made publicly by the Union on behalf of the respiratory therapists. If there was any resistance or opposition by the Union, it went largely unnoticed and proved unsuccessful… When it came to the termination of the respiratory department, their Union was at best, largely ineffective or at worst, terribly silent.

SEIU-UHW’s boss-friendly silence may be a direct result of Regan's secret partnership with hospital executives and the California Hospital Association. Under the deal, Regan agreed to trade away the rights of SEIU-UHW members in exchange for unspecified benefits, including Regan's cozier relationship with hospital executives.
 
Respiratory Therapists at work
Of course, the stories of SEIU-UHW's representational failures are legendary.

Remember, for example, when SEIU-UHW Union Reps sat on their hands and refused to provide representation to a 33-year employee at Kaiser Walnut Creek Medical Center who was being unjustly terminated by her supervisor?

And last year, an insider leaked an SEIU-UHW document that detailed Regan's plans to slash the number of Union Reps so he can divert more of the union’s resources to politicians and "external" project.

In yet another leak, insiders forwarded the results of a formal survey of SEIU-UHW staffers, who described the miserable levels of representational support that SEIU-UHW is giving its membership.

What's the next trick for Regan and Marcus Hatcher, SEIU-UHW's so-called "Director of Representational Excellence?"


Stay tuned.