| ANNOUNCING CONTRACT RATIFICATION | |
| April
29th, 2002: Mercy Sacramento employees gathered for a press conference
at Mercy General to announce the ratification of our union contract-
9,000 employees in 20 CHW hospitals now have a contract guaranteeing
big wage increases and fully-paid dependent health care coverage.
Most of the jubilant employees in this group can remember past events
at this site celebrating (or protesting) the incremental steps that
led to this triumphant moment. We know what it took to get here and
that makes the moment doubly sweet! ellen |
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| Some
of you may notice that for this momentous occasion i used colored
film. The contract represents a great victory for CHW service employees,
SEIU Local 250, and CHW, for all share the common interest of improving
CHW hospitals. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ---Margaret Mead dick |
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| I didn't know any of these people before union organizing started. Now I look at each face and remember how I met them and what all they did to move the campaign along.Woods says "if you're going to get maudlin, this is the time to do it!" so I guess I will. I look at Kathy and remember her being one of the first in her department to step forward and sign a petition committing herself to all of this. I look at Angelo and marvel at how he, outspoken as he is, managed to survive in Dietary, when people were being thrown overboard all around him. I look at Josie and think of her striding with determination into employee break rooms where her welcome was far from certain. I think of Mary Hillman, serving as spokesperson on numerous public occasions, and on and on through every person here..... |
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| Mercy General, where the press conference took place. I t looks kind of nice here, don't you think? Recently a co-worker remarked that he felt more a part of the hospital now that we have a contract. We agreed that it felt more like "our" hospital . |