Struggling Low-Wage Healthcare Workers Like Khan Asif Deserve $15 Minimum Wage

September 17, 2015

Recently, Osceola Regional Medical Center, agreed to a new Union contract with its nursing assistants, dietary and cleaning staff. Less than a year later, the hospital subcontracted its cleaning staff to Hospital Housekeeping Systems (HHS), resulting in the loss of health care, paid time-off and 401K.



Khan Asif - now an HHS employee – working at the same hospital for more than seven years and making less than $15 an hour, lost his wages, healthcare, as well as his retirement benefits and can no longer afford the medication needed since having open heart. He also worries for his sick mother, because she depends on him for doctors’ appointments and medication. Khan and his colleagues are on the front lines of infection control in our hospitals, and yet Khan loves his job. He is proud because he works diligently to ensure that patient rooms are clean. “I’m contributing to a patient healing faster.” says Khan.



Under HHS, the 81 low-wage EVS workers at Osceola Regional Medical Center have had their benefits slashed. With the stroke of a pen these low-wage workers have lost coverage of major medical costs, substantial amounts of paid time off, and 401(k) contributions. Now many of the hospital’s poorest workers are forced to shoulder dramatic increases in health care costs, less time off to care for their families, and loss of retirement funds.