At North Shore Medical Center in North Miami, dozens of experienced and talented members of 1199SEIU are enjoying significant pay raises negotiated by union members and leaders even after the facility has transitioned to new ownership.

The raises were part of  the collective bargaining agreement with 1199SEIU that the facility’s new owners -- Healthcare Systems of America (HSA), an affiliate of American Healthcare Systems – agreed to honor and bring tenured employees to scale.

Increases included one long-time union member and North Shore physical therapist (PT) with 20 years at the facility who saw his pay jump dramatically from $33 to $51 per hour. Maxine Adams, a patient care technician (PCT) who has worked at North Shore for 10 years, was bumped from $16 to $22 per hour.

“This is a great win for our union, our workers and our patients, too,” said Adams, who has been a caregiver for more than 30 years and has relied on double shifts and overtime to cover her bills. “The increase can really be life-changing when you’re no longer living paycheck to paycheck or feeling insecure about basic expenses. We all deserve a living wage that not only pays our bills, but lets us put some money aside for an emergency or retirement.”

Patients benefit from these experienced and knowledgeable caregivers staying on the job rather than looking for better opportunities at other facilities.

“Winning these increases really proves there is strength in numbers,” said Criswell. “The majority of workers eligible to be transitioned to scale were our members, and we were able to negotiate in a powerful position with an especially strong collective voice.  We appreciate the new owners at HSA listened and did the right thing for these caregivers, their patients and the community.”

HSA recently took over hospitals formerly operated by the financially-troubled Steward Health Care. Throughout the transition, union members and leaders of 1199SEIU were key to saving jobs, protecting workers, patients and families.

This included 1199SEIU being named by the United States Trustee, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice to serve on the official committee monitoring Steward’s bankruptcy case which was called “a win for Florida hospital patients, caregivers and the communities they serve” in South Florida and national news reports.

“I’m very proud of our members and leaders who have been essential to providing care in our communities and advocating for healthcare workers over many years; especially during difficult times,” said 1199SEIU Vice President DeQuasia Canales. “We’re pleased HSA management has recognized this, and we look forward to a positive, productive working relationship.”