Caregivers Protest Continued Unlawful Retaliation from Community Medical Centers

Press Release from SEIU-UHW

Caregivers Protest Continued Unlawful Retaliation from Community Medical Centers

FRESNO -- Healthcare workers from Community Medical Centers will join with area allies to protest the hospital’s ongoing harassment of caregivers working to form a union despite their stated commitment to end the unlawful intimidation of its employees.

Management settled rather than contest charges of unfair labor practices against workers earlier this year, but the threats continue. Several more charges are pending, with still others to be announced today.

Housekeeper Simona Contreras, of Community Regional Medical Center, was harassed after taking a public stand for increased quality of care at her facility. "My boss threatened me by saying that because my picture appeared on a billboard I would be fired. Only he did not say “fired,” he made a throat-slashing gesture towards me,” Contreras said. “They can threaten all they want. It hasn’t stopped us from organizing. In fact, it just points out why we need the protections of a union."

In another incident, Lori Carrol, a counselor at the Community Behavioral Health Center was disciplined for circulating a letter calling for increased staffing levels. “I was disciplined for trying to make our facility safer for staff and patients,” says Carrol. “It means the administration broke its promise that there would be no more retaliation.”

Caregivers and their supporters are demanding hospital administrators agree to a free and fair election agreement to end this ongoing unlawful activity.

With more than 150,000 members, SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West is the fastest-growing
healthcare union in the United States. We represent healthcare workers in all job classifications
and all healthcare settings, including hospitals, homecare, nursing homes and clinics. Our mission is to achieve high-quality healthcare for all.

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