Nearly 250 workers at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) are now united in 1199SEIU, the fastest growing healthcare workers union in the state. Through an in-person and mail ballot election, workers from nine clinic sites voted to join 1199SEU as part of a growing movement of healthcare workers organizing to protect good jobs and address ongoing issues of inadequate staffing, low wages, and burnout.  

“This win means we get to come together and continue to keep each other safe, now just in a more formalized process through our union, because nobody's got us like we got us,” said Noemi Guevara (She/Her), an HIV Prep Navigator at BHCHP. 

The workers who voted to join 1199SEIU include Care Coordinators, Case Managers, Clinic Coordinators, Recovery Coaches, Medical Assistants, Respite Aides, and Harm Reduction Technicians. 

“This vote is a critical step forward in protecting workers on the frontlines caring for individuals experiencing housing instability and who face multiple barriers to care,” said Tim Foley, 1199SEIU executive vice president. “BHCHP caregivers will now have a seat at the table to improve their workplace and ensure that they can continue to provide vital services to a vulnerable patient population across greater Boston.” 

BHCHP workers began organizing in June 2023, filing for their union election in January 2024. This union victory is just the latest in healthcare workers uniting in 1199SEIU. In late 2023, about 450 workers at Fenway Health, and nearly 300 healthcare and homecare workers at Upham’s Corner Health Center voted to join 1199. 

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About 1199SEIU 

Representing nearly 80,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 450,000 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.