April 17, 2014
In a strong display of support, close to a hundred McKenzie-Willamette workers, elected leaders, and community members rallied today for good jobs and quality patient care at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center.
Caregivers who are members of SEIU Local 49 and work at the hospital are in contract negotiations. They have had 7 bargaining sessions and have been at the table with Mckenzie Management for six months. The most recent available data shows McKenzie declaring a profit three times higher than the state average. Despite these profits, the hospital has recently laid-off workers, while remaining caregivers continue to face rising healthcare costs and eroding benefits.
Caregivers are taking a stand, demanding good jobs that provide affordable healthcare, a living wage and benefits that workers and their families can depend on.
Ken Charpie a Lab Tech and employee of Mckenzie-Willamette Medical Center addressed the crowd of caregivers, their families and supporters from around the area. “Management is asking us to do more and more with less. We love our jobs and provide the best quality healthcare for our patients. Caregivers deserve good jobs and quality healthcare too!” The crowd of supporters agreed, chanting “Affordable Healthcare Now” and waving signs that read “We Care For Our Hospital Workers.”
Hospital workers were joined by elected leaders including Oregon Representative, Nancy Nathanson and Senator Lee Beyer. Beyer shared his strong statement of support with the crowd “Caregivers deserve a fair contract. It is simply immoral for a healthcare provider like McKenzie-Willamette to not provide affordable healthcare to caregivers. I’ll continue to be there for you.”
SEIU Local 49 includes over 300 hospital workers at McKenzie including medical assistants, certified nursing assistants, emergency department technicians, phlebotomists, housekeepers and housekeepers. The next bargaining meetings are set for April 23rd and will be with a federal mediator. The contract expired December 31, 2013.
