Health care workers at Allina-owned St. Francis Medical Center voted 108-78 on Thursday to become members of Service Employees International Union Local 113. The vote covers more than 230 workers including pharmacy techs, housekeeping, dietary, health unit coordinators, and nursing assistants.
"After 19 years at St. Francis, I?m looking forward to putting my experience into practice," said Dalleen Sticha, an employee in environmental services. "Our workload has continued to increase, but staffing has decreased. In order to do a quality job, I often give up my break. Our patients deserve quality care and a clean environment."
Many of the health care workers said they were worried that rising health care costs would leave them unable to afford the care they provide.
"As a single parent, I worried about the rising cost of health care and being able to provide for my daughter," said Bonnie Nelson, health unit coordinator. "Now that we have a union we can get our wages and benefits guaranteed in a legally binding contract. Now, I don?t have to worry as much."
Other workers wanted to ensure that managers would have to treat them with respect. Janet Walsh, cook, said ?Without a union I had to depend on the good will of managers who constantly changed around. I was sick of being publicly ridiculed and put down in front of my co-workers. With a union we will be able to demand dignity and respect - whoever the manager happens to be."
In recent days, Allina managers had used mandatory captive audience meetings to pressure workers into voting against representation, the union said. Commented Gwen Relander, health unit coordinator, "Even though Allina tried to convince us to vote no, we had the support of the nurses from the Minnesota Nurses Association. They set a great example of what we could achieve with a union and we are very thankful for their words of encouragement."
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Health care workers at Allina-owned St. Francis Medical Center voted 108-78 on Thursday to become members of Service Employees International Union Local 113. The vote covers more than 230 workers including pharmacy techs, housekeeping, dietary, health unit coordinators, and nursing assistants.
“After 19 years at St. Francis, I?m looking forward to putting my experience into practice,” said Dalleen Sticha, an employee in environmental services. “Our workload has continued to increase, but staffing has decreased. In order to do a quality job, I often give up my break. Our patients deserve quality care and a clean environment.”
Many of the health care workers said they were worried that rising health care costs would leave them unable to afford the care they provide.
“As a single parent, I worried about the rising cost of health care and being able to provide for my daughter,” said Bonnie Nelson, health unit coordinator. “Now that we have a union we can get our wages and benefits guaranteed in a legally binding contract. Now, I don?t have to worry as much.”
Other workers wanted to ensure that managers would have to treat them with respect. Janet Walsh, cook, said ?Without a union I had to depend on the good will of managers who constantly changed around. I was sick of being publicly ridiculed and put down in front of my co-workers. With a union we will be able to demand dignity and respect – whoever the manager happens to be.”
In recent days, Allina managers had used mandatory captive audience meetings to pressure workers into voting against representation, the union said. Commented Gwen Relander, health unit coordinator, “Even though Allina tried to convince us to vote no, we had the support of the nurses from the Minnesota Nurses Association. They set a great example of what we could achieve with a union and we are very thankful for their words of encouragement.”