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Since 2000, over 90,000 healthcare workers have joined 1199SEIU and have won raises, better benefits, retirement security, job protections, no-cost education opportunities and a voice in staffing and patient care. 1199SEIU is the fastest-growing, most effective union for healthcare workers in America. Read more

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    A Voice & Respect

    Without a union, management has all the power, and workers have no say. With 1199, members share decision making with management, and negotiate job improvements that are then guaranteed in a contract. After the contract is in place, workers regularly meet with management to make sure the contract is enforced and our voice is being heard in patient care, staffing and working conditions. Having a union means that management treats workers as true partners, and this leads to a more respectful and open environment at work!

    “I voted yes to join with 1199SEIU because we need the strength to be able to hold our employers accountable so one day we won’t have healthcare workers taking care of sick patients without adequate sick time benefits.”

    Phil King, Maintenance Mechanic, St. Mary's Medical Center Florida


    A voice in government

    Because healthcare is highly regulated, 1199 members have formed one of the most effective legislative action programs in the country. We not only advocate for healthcare funding, patients’ rights and expanded access for the uninsured, we have also achieved major victories for specific professions around issues such as scope of practice and licensure. Below are some examples of our legislative victories:

    • In 2009, a law banning mandatory overtime for nurses went into effect in New York State. 1199 nurses were able to achieve this victory by uniting together and lobbying at the state capitol for this important measure to improve patient care.
    • 1199 members in New York have worked with the Greater New York Hospital Association to create the Healthcare Education Project, which informs and mobilizes voters on health care issues. The Healthcare Education Project has stopped cuts to health care facilities, achieved millions in new funding for patient care and passed innovative legislation such as the Family Health Plus program that covers over one million previously uninsured children and adults.
    • 1199SEIU members in Massachusetts played an integral role in bringing healthcare to every citizen in the Commonwealth in 2006. Since healthcare reform was enacted, hundreds of thousands of previously uninsured Massachusetts residents have now been covered by quality, affordable healthcare.
    • In July 2006, personal care attendants, consumers and ally organizations worked with 1199SEIU to help pass the Quality Home Care bill, which received unanimous support from the state legislature. The bill gave PCAs the right to form a union and negotiate with the Quality Workforce Council for better wages and benefits. In November 2008, nearly 25,000 PCAs ratified their first contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts winning wage increases and paid time off for the first time in history.
    • Working with our partners in the Health Care for All Coalition, 1199SEIU in Maryland played a key role in passing Medicaid expansion—winning health care coverage for tens of thousands of uninsured Marylanders.
    • 1199SEIU members in Maryland have been tireless advocates for the Prince George’s hospital system, the county’s indispensable healthcare provider. Working together with state and county officials, 1199 members kept Prince George’s healthcare safety net intact.

    "1199's professional and technical committees have given me the opportunity to work with management and bring about changes that have had a positive impact on patient care."

    George Benedetto, Pharmacist, Montefiore Hospital, New York