Much of this growth came about in response to the cost-cutting and restructuring that occurred beginning in the late 1990s under managed care programs. Large health- care chains fought unionization efforts with intimidating one-on-one meetings with employees, mandatory “captive audience” sessions with larger groups, and an onslaught of literature that sought to mislead workers about the union. Cette croissance est une réponse aux réductions des coûts et autres restructurations qui ont commencé dès le début des années 1990. Les grandes chaînes de soins hospitaliers ont combattu les tentatives de syndicalisations avec des entretiens un-à-un intimidant les employés, des sessions magistrales obligatoires, ainsi que divers documents destinés à tromper les employés dans leurs perceptions d'un syndicat.

1. SEIU Unites 500,000 Hospital Workers By 2010
SEIU in 2010 represented about 500,000 hospital
e successful struggle at Catholic Healthcare West de-
workers, including some 150,000 who united with the
scribed in these pages helped SEIU members there, over the
union since 1996. six years that followed, to win raises of 30 percent to 90 per-
Much of this growth came about in response to the
cent depending on job classi cations. SEIU also bargained
cost-cutting and restructuring that occurred beginning in
family health insurance with CHW paying the total cost,
the late 1990s under managed care programs. Large health-
pension gains that increased retirement checks by 30-40
care chains fought unionization e orts with intimidating
percent, rst-ever retiree health bene ts, and sta ng levels
one-on-one meetings with employees, mandatory “captive
agreed to by both employees and managers.
audience” sessions with larger groups, and an onslaught of
SEIU also squared o at Tenet Healthcare Corpora-
literature that sought to mislead workers about the union.
tion, a large for-pro t chain that had pursued vigorous anti-
SEIU began to engage hospital workers in corporate so-
union policies. At its Gar eld Medical Center in Monterey
cial responsibility campaigns to win fair organizing rules at
Park, California, for example, 450 registered nurses had to
large hospital systems. overcome aggressive opposition in 2001. ey voted to join
In 2010, workers at all of HCA’s hospitals in California
SEIU, but months later still had not been able to achieve a
were unionized and 100 percent of those in Nevada were
contract with Tenet.
as well.123 California and Nevada SEIU members at HCA
SEIU launched a nationwide corporate social responsi-
won across-the-board raises totaling 29.6 percent between
bility campaign that drew attention to Tenet’s sta ng poli-
2007 and 2011, as well as step increases based on experience.
cies and joined with community allies seeking to prevent
Workers at 23 HCA hospitals also won a fair and just process
hospital closings. By May 2003, the workers’ e orts paid
for recognition through April 2011. o with Tenet agreeing not only to respect workers’ rights to
form a union without management interfer-
WAGE RATE FOR A PATIENT CARE TECH AT CHW’S ence, but also agreeing to a rst contract at
NORTHRIDGE HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER Gar eld and other newly organized hospitals.
SEIU members won unprecedented
raises of up to 29 percent over four years, a
real voice in sta ng decisions, a ban on man-
datory overtime, and strong job security lan-
guage. Further gains followed in subsequent
years with the most recent Tenet agreement
at the end of 2007 providing wage increases
averaging 28 percent, a ban on subcontract-
ing in California, and fully employer-paid
healthcare in Florida.124