BOSTON, MA – This afternoon, workers at the largest safety net hospital in New England inked a deal with their employer to ensure a minimum start rate of at least $15.12 for all service, clerical, and technical employees. The deal impacts members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – the largest healthcare union in the country – and members of AFSCME Council 93 at the 496-bed Boston Medical Center (BMC).
Healthcare workers have played a key role in the growing national Fight for $15 movement and have seen the $15 standard as a rallying cry both during negotiations with current union employers – and as part of efforts to organize new members.
The deal makes Boston Medical Center the first hospital in the city to set a $15 starting wage standard. Healthcare workers praised BMC for agreeing to the new wage floor in the middle of an existing labor contract. The new minimum start rate of $15.12 will be implemented immediately on Sunday, January 3, 2016. The relevant contract between BMC and a joint 1199SEIU / AFSCME bargaining unit is not slated to expire until September of 2016.
Following a growing wave of national publicity and area victories surrounding the Fight for $15 movement, hospital administrators reached out to 1199SEIU leaders in hopes of reaching a deal that would boost the lowest paid workers at the facility to what many are now calling the new living wage standard of $15/hour.
“Winning $15/hour is a huge step for me towards a more stable future and it really shows the difference that having a union makes,” said Douglas Forrester, a general cleaner and 1199SEIU member who has worked at the hospital for four years. “It makes me even prouder to be an 1199SEIU member and proud to work at a hospital like Boston Medical Center that is doing the right thing for workers. I want to help spread the word so every hospital employee like me in this city can win the same.”
The wages of approximately 200 workers total will be immediately boosted by the increase. Advocates expect the news will provide further inspiration to non-union hospital employees in the Boston area, many of whom are actively organizing to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
“It’s great to see 1199SEIU caregivers and Boston Medical Center leading the way. It’s a positive example of paying a living wage to folks who work hard providing quality care to patients and it’s an example that other area hospitals ought to follow,” said Tyrek Lee, Vice President of 1199SEIU.
While Boston Medical Center becomes the first hospital in Boston to implement a $15 start rate, 1199SEIU members in Massachusetts have also recently won a pathway to $15/hour at Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett, South Boston Community Health Center, Lynn Community Health Center, several area nursing homes, and for 35,000 Personal Care Attendants paid through MassHealth.
ADDENDUM: Meanwhile, word leaked on Tuesday afternoon that Tufts Medical Center was expected to follow suit in raising their minimum start rate to $15/hour in 2016. Workers at Tufts Medical Center have been actively campaigning to join 1199SEIU throughout 2015 and have called on Tufts executives to sign a free and fair elections agreement to protect the rights of caregivers during a potential union vote.
1199SEIU Vice President Tyrek Lee issued this statement in response to the expected announcement from Tufts:
"The credit for Tufts raising their minimum pay to $15/hour should go to the brave workers and caregivers who have been organizing in the hospital despite wasteful union-busting tactics by management. By joining the Fight for $15 and a union, it is workers at Tufts who have forced the administration’s hand. Winning $15 will intensify organizing efforts by employees at Tufts – both to protect this victory and to win a voice moving forward."
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Representing more than 52,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and nearly 400,000 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.
Healthcare workers have played a key role in the growing national Fight for $15 movement and have seen the $15 standard as a rallying cry both during negotiations with current union employers – and as part of efforts to organize new members.
The deal makes Boston Medical Center the first hospital in the city to set a $15 starting wage standard. Healthcare workers praised BMC for agreeing to the new wage floor in the middle of an existing labor contract. The new minimum start rate of $15.12 will be implemented immediately on Sunday, January 3, 2016. The relevant contract between BMC and a joint 1199SEIU / AFSCME bargaining unit is not slated to expire until September of 2016.
Following a growing wave of national publicity and area victories surrounding the Fight for $15 movement, hospital administrators reached out to 1199SEIU leaders in hopes of reaching a deal that would boost the lowest paid workers at the facility to what many are now calling the new living wage standard of $15/hour.
“Winning $15/hour is a huge step for me towards a more stable future and it really shows the difference that having a union makes,” said Douglas Forrester, a general cleaner and 1199SEIU member who has worked at the hospital for four years. “It makes me even prouder to be an 1199SEIU member and proud to work at a hospital like Boston Medical Center that is doing the right thing for workers. I want to help spread the word so every hospital employee like me in this city can win the same.”
The wages of approximately 200 workers total will be immediately boosted by the increase. Advocates expect the news will provide further inspiration to non-union hospital employees in the Boston area, many of whom are actively organizing to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.
“It’s great to see 1199SEIU caregivers and Boston Medical Center leading the way. It’s a positive example of paying a living wage to folks who work hard providing quality care to patients and it’s an example that other area hospitals ought to follow,” said Tyrek Lee, Vice President of 1199SEIU.
While Boston Medical Center becomes the first hospital in Boston to implement a $15 start rate, 1199SEIU members in Massachusetts have also recently won a pathway to $15/hour at Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett, South Boston Community Health Center, Lynn Community Health Center, several area nursing homes, and for 35,000 Personal Care Attendants paid through MassHealth.
ADDENDUM: Meanwhile, word leaked on Tuesday afternoon that Tufts Medical Center was expected to follow suit in raising their minimum start rate to $15/hour in 2016. Workers at Tufts Medical Center have been actively campaigning to join 1199SEIU throughout 2015 and have called on Tufts executives to sign a free and fair elections agreement to protect the rights of caregivers during a potential union vote.
1199SEIU Vice President Tyrek Lee issued this statement in response to the expected announcement from Tufts:
"The credit for Tufts raising their minimum pay to $15/hour should go to the brave workers and caregivers who have been organizing in the hospital despite wasteful union-busting tactics by management. By joining the Fight for $15 and a union, it is workers at Tufts who have forced the administration’s hand. Winning $15 will intensify organizing efforts by employees at Tufts – both to protect this victory and to win a voice moving forward."
# # #
Representing more than 52,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and nearly 400,000 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.
