FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nashoba Valley Medical Center Technicians Win A Voice for Quality Care and Good Jobs

March 8, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
Nikko Mendoza | nikko.mendoza@1199.org | 617-990-2487
Laura Wareck | lwareck@oneillandassoc.com | 978-660-9587
Twitter: @1199mass

Nashoba Valley Medical Center Technicians Win A Voice for Quality Care and Good Jobs

More than 200 workers at Central Mass. hospital now united in state’s largest and fastest growing healthcare union

Ayer, MA (March 8, 2017) – Technical healthcare workers at Nashoba Valley Medical Center have overwhelmingly signed on to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. The group of 85 technical workers joins 170 Nashoba Valley Medical Center employees who are already members of 1199SEIU, the state’s largest and fastest-growing healthcare union.

The Nashoba Valley Medical Center technical workers are a diverse group of employees that include radiology, pharmacy and lab technicians, respiratory therapists, EMTs and MRI, CT and ultrasound technicians.

“We are committed to ensuring that all workers across Massachusetts have good jobs, fair wages and respect, dignity and a voice in the workplace,” said MaryEllen Leveille, Vice President of Health Systems at 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East. “We are thrilled to welcome our new Nashoba Valley sisters and brothers into our union, and we look forward to working together to improve the quality of life for our patients and our communities.”

The 85 healthcare workers at Nashoba Valley Medical Center participated in a free and fair process through which workers showed their support for joining the union by signing authorization cards.

“The work we do at Nashoba Valley Medical Center is vital to the people in our care, and we love our jobs,” said Gar Bernas, a respiratory therapist at Nashoba Valley. “We’re excited to join 1199SEIU because we gain a voice to better advocate for ourselves and our families while providing the quality care we know our patients need and deserve.”

Nashoba Valley Medical Center, a part of Steward Heath Care, is a 73-bed facility serving Central Northern Massachusetts. Previously, thousands of workers at seven other facilities currently operated by Steward Health Care voted to join 1199SEIU, and last June, won a new three-year contract that raises wages and preserves affordable health insurance and free college tuition benefits for workers across the Steward system. Those facilities include: St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center; Norwood Hospital; Morton Hospital; Merrimack Valley Hospital; Holy Family Hospital; Good Samaritan Medical Center; and Carney Hospital.

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Representing more than 56,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 400,000 workers across the East Coast, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union.