On Monday, April 22nd, SEIU-UHW withdrew its most recent petition to represent employees right after it received the legally required list of employees in the voting unit. That means they have a list of the names, job titles, work shifts, and work locations of registered nurses and service and technical employees who work at St. Joseph’s. As a result, you can expect that the union will continue to try to get you to sign cards now that they know who would be in the voting unit. Click here to learn more about what it means to sign a union authorization card.
We would like to thank our employees for choosing to continue our direct relationship. We are grateful for your support and desire to preserve our culture of collaboration and service.
Welcome
Consistent with our values and respect for the dignity of all persons, Dignity Health St. Joseph’s is committed to providing its team members with a competitive total rewards package, safety in the workplace, opportunities for growth and development, and an inclusive environment in which everyone has a voice. Our focus on our team members’ well-being drives every decision, every improvement we make. We believe we have created a work environment that we can be proud of while recognizing that we can always do better.
Our hope is that we can continue to make progress—together—through open, direct communication free of outside representation. However, we recognize that union representation is ultimately your decision—and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
We’ve created this website to highlight what makes Dignity Health St. Joseph’s unique, what we’ve accomplished together, and what you should know about union representation. So please take time to review the information, ask questions, collect the facts, and understand what unionization could mean for you and our work environment. Our entire leadership team is here to support you and provide you with the information you will need to make an informed decision.
Thank you for all that you do for Dignity Health, our patients, and our community.
Our Commitment to You
Dignity Health is not just in the business of caring for our patients—we value, respect, and care for our team members in the spirit of Humankindness, knowing that the excellence in patient care for which Dignity Health St. Joseph’s is known follows naturally. We take tremendous pride in supporting you by providing a competitive total rewards package; work-life balance; professional development and community service opportunities; a safe workplace environment; and an opportunity for your voice to be heard.
Know Before You Sign or Scan
Union authorization cards are critical to the success of any union’s organizing campaign. If you sign a card or submit one online, you are authorizing the union to act as your exclusive collective bargaining representative for the purpose of negotiating wages, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment with Dignity Health. There are no guarantees during negotiations as the union can only get what Dignity Health agrees to during the process.
Your Voice
Some of the most important improvements we’ve implemented have been inspired by feedback from our team members. Based on what team members have shared in the annual MyVoice Experience Survey and other channels, we have and continue to enhance your work experience.
What Could Union Dues Cost You?
SEIU-UHW Dues Calculator
Per SEIU-UHW’s Dues Policy, union dues are two percent (2%) of a member’s regular earnings. Since dues are based on a percentage, the amount union members pay in dues each year increases with each raise they receive (2023 maximum annual dues $2,448). Calculation is based on 2080 Hours (average annual hours for a full-time employee).
Dues vs. Retirement
Retirement savings calculated on a 5% annual rate of return.
For visual purposes only.
Your Rights
We believe that a direct relationship makes us stronger as we work together on issues that impact our culture, work environment, professional development, patient care, and your mental, physical, and financial health. We also recognize and support that it is your decision whether or not to join a union and this choice should be made in an environment free from coercion or intimidation.
Dignity Health will always follow federal labor laws and be guided by our own high standards and values. These laws provide each team member with the same rights to campaign “for” or “against” unionization. We uphold these rights and respect the views of all team members. Each of you has the right to:
- Solicit or distribute information “for” or “against” union representation, as long as you and your coworkers are not on work time and are not in work areas or immediate patient-care areas.
- Connect with fellow team members to better understand everyone’s views about the advantages or disadvantages of union representation at Dignity Health.
- Attend meetings or gatherings, discuss, and ask questions about the pros and cons of union representation and the benefits of having a direct relationship with Dignity Health.
- Vote for or against the union regardless of whether you signed a union authorization
Consistent with our mission and values, it is important to always communicate in a respectful manner that supports our culture and one another. We are united in common purpose to support our patients by providing high-quality care to the communities we serve.
FAQs
What does signing a union authorization card mean?
A union authorization card is a legally binding document, and by signing it you state that you want the union to represent you for purposes of collective bargaining. No matter what you are told, a union card is not a request for more information or to be added or removed from the union’s mailing list. Online forms, sign-in sheets, attendance records at union information meetings, requests for more union information and other paper documents and emails could also be considered legal documents and count toward calling an election, depending on what they say.
Am I required to speak to union organizers?
No. There is no law or policy that requires you to speak with union representatives or team member activists and you are free to respond accordingly.
Am I allowed to voice my opinion on unionization?
Yes. You have the legal right to speak and organize for or against union representation. Federal law protects your right to talk to your fellow nurses during non-work time about your views, organize with fellow nurses to make your collective views known, distribute information and attend meetings or gatherings to discuss the pros or cons of union representation, as well as the benefits of maintaining a direct relationship with Dignity Health.
Can union representatives speak to me on Dignity Health property?
Union representatives are allowed to speak to you on Dignity Health property that is open to visitors, as long as they are not loitering or soliciting. Union organizers are not allowed to be in any area that is normally restricted to patients, visitors and guests. They must abide by our policies that are intended to maintain order and safety in the workplace, and they may not interrupt you during work hours.
The union is telling me that many team members support the union. How do I know if that’s true?
First and foremost, it’s your decision and you have to decide based on what’s best for you. Also, it is a common organizing strategy for a union to state that nearly everyone supports the union, but this may not be true. The union may have very few “vocal” supporters, and they tend to use a “don’t be left behind” approach to try and get more support. Some team members may express opinions without being fully informed, or even resort to saying they support the union to keep from being pressured from union supporters. This is why the law relies on the secret ballot vote as the only true expression of team member support for or against union representation.
I have heard that the union can offer a “trial” period, and if we don’t like it, we can withdraw from the union.
No. There is no “trial” period associated with unions. A union would represent nurses indefinitely unless you become dissatisfied and take action to remove the union. Under the law, you have the right to vote to “decertify” the union. The process, however, is quite complex and there are time limits and rules about when/how this can happen. Dignity Health cannot assist nurses in any way to decertify the union. Some unions have provisions in their constitution prohibiting attempts to decertify and/or fining members for doing so. You may wish to ask the union about this.
Ask A Question
For more information on what union representation could mean for you or to verify anything you may be hearing, please submit your questions and/or comments below.
Your privacy is very important to us, and your submission will remain confidential. If you would like to submit your question and/or comment anonymously, simply do not include your name or email address in the submission. For anonymous submissions, we will not be able to respond directly, but your question/comment could appear as an FAQ on this website.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing your questions, feedback and/or concerns.