With millions of working families across the country advocating for Congress to pass proposed legislation that would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – Florida Region (1199SEIU Florida) who work at University of Miami Hospital are leading the way in partnership with UMH management by raising the hospital’s minimum wage to $10.10.



In a ground-breaking agreement, UMH and 1199SEIU Florida members agreed to strengthen their labor management partnership with guaranteed across-the-board wage increases, including a $10.10 minimum wage that will increase annually over the course of the next three years. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 and the state minimum wage in Florida is $7.93. “We are very proud to be part of University of Miami Hospital,” said Alma Georgia, a registered nurse at UMH. “This agreement definitely strengthens our path towards becoming a world-class hospital by investing in all of the employees, from establishing a minimum wage to reinvesting in our joint Training & Education Fund which provides tuition assistance, college prep, GED, ESL and undergraduate/graduate education, and most importantly by strengthening our Labor-Management committees throughout the hospital to address quality care and staffing concerns.”



Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist visited UMH recently to walk in the shoes of a healthcare worker and praised the work 1199SEIU Florida and UMH are doing together to set an example for the entire state and the country. Crist highlighted the importance of raising the minimum wage so that Floridians can better support their families, and in turn, strengthen Florida’s economy.



Watch this video for a behind the scenes look at Governor Crist working side by side with 1199SEIU Florida members at UMH: The newly approved union contract at UMH also limits subcontracting, increases the number of permanent positions, and reinvests in the training and education fund.



“Our staff is second to none,” said David Zambrana, D.N.P., M.B.A., RN, chief executive officer of UMH. “We are extremely pleased to reach this agreement. Not only does it benefit our employees, it sets the bar for the healthcare industry and lets others know that University of Miami Hospital is a leader.”



All of the parties credit their historic agreement to a strong partnership through the UMH Labor-Management Committee, which is composed of staff and management working together to improve patient care and the work environment. The committee was re-launched in 2012 and has already been responsible for tremendous improvements throughout the hospital.