SEIU got a little bigger at West Haldimand General Hospital after 75% of the clerical employees voted to join SEIU Local 1 Canada on June 7, 2011. SEIU welcomes 28 members into the union.
“The big issues at this hospital were better wages, more hours and job security,” said Christine Harwart, organizing lead for the campaign. “They saw how SEIU service workers got a 4% raise while they suffered from the government-imposed wage freeze. They know they are better off with a union.”
The key issues to negotiate in bargaining will be wages, benefits and scheduling. Some clerical workers have seen their hours cut, sometimes by as much as 50%.
SEIU extends a special thanks to all the SEIU members at West Haldimand General Hospital for their assistance in the campaign. They did an excellent job sharing their knowledge of the SEIU Advantage with their clerical co-workers.
SEIU Local 1 Canada is an Organizing Union that represents more than 50,000 health care and community services workers in Ontario. Its members work in hospitals, home care, nursing and retirement homes and community services.