Florida 1199ers at hospital operated by the healthcare giant Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) made major strides in July when HCA agreed to a three-month contract extension.

Caregivers at the 19 HCA institutions across Florida demonstrated determination and unity with sticker days and other actions to press management around the need for an extension as Florida is engulfed in the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a break in contract talks that began in early summer, 1199SEIU Bargaining Committee members resumed contract negotiations, and on July 14 reached an agreement to extend their collective bargaining agreements for three months.

The extension ensures that protections will remain in place to exercise our rights and make our voices heard as we continue to hold HCA hospitals accountable on critical coronavirus-related issues that are threatening our lives and the lives of our patients.

At the same time, HCA reiterated their refusal to negotiate hazard pay, as well as their demands to float workers to other facilities, and silence workers’ voices and ability to raise patient and work safety issues.

At press time, HCA workers said hospitals still weren’t providing enough PPE, have threatened layoffs, and ended pandemic pay during this crisis, despite making $581 million in profits in Q1 2020 and receiving nearly $5 billion in government relief.

Workers responded with a loud, united commitment to building their power to hold HCA hospitals accountable.

1199 Magazine | July / August 2020