More than 850 staff at Northwell Health’s Core Testing Facilities overwhelmingly voted to join 1199SEIU family on September 25. The new members included technologists, technicians, phlebotomists and customer service representatives. This is the second group of lab workers at Northwell Health, New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, to organize in the past year. Hundreds of lab staff at the Little Neck facility joined the Union in December.

“This is our opportunity to fight for the benefits—healthcare, a pension, and more—that our Northwell peers have won as 1199 members,” said Roland Denis, a Senior Clinical Lab Assistant.

“We give our patients the best care possible–and now lab staff will have a real voice in our workplace. I’m excited to begin negotiating our first contract,” explained Narda Skyeurs, a Phlebotomist for 18 years, who worked at Northwell for the past three years.

On the same day as the Northwell victory, a further 2,500 new members voted into 1199 from the home care agency, White Glove Community Care. They will join with the 140,000 home care workers already represented by 1199SEIU.

“For me, this is about my patients. When we have a stronger voice in how things are done and how we are treated at the agency, we can take better care of our patients,” said Rose Wah, a home health aide at White Glove.

The overwhelmingly female group of workers provide care to seniors and people with disabilities across the five boroughs and Westchester.

“Our union is a way for us to stand up for ourselves. I voted yes for 1199SEIU so we have the strongest voice to demand better pay, better benefits, and improved paid vacation time,” explained Ann Marie Lowers, a patient care assistant.

In a separate victory in Queens, NY, more than 140 RNs at Zucker Hillside Hospital voted overwhelmingly to join 1199 and have the right to negotiate alongside many of their co-workers who are already part of the contract with the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes.