Questions and Answers - SEIU Campaign Against Sutter Health

Union leaders want new members and the dues money they pay every month. SEIU United Healthcare Workers West's campaign is ultimately focused on forcing Sutter Health leadership to recognize and endorse Local 250 as the union of choice for employees throughout our network. We have relationships with dozens of different unions. Our affiliated organizations are fundamentally opposed to choosing a particular union for their employees.

Why won’t Sutter Health agree to a "master contract" with SEIU Local 250?

Sutter Health is one of Northern California's last remaining community-based health care networks. It's a key point of distinction that our affiliates are very proud of. Our local affiliates are governed by volunteer boards made up of community leaders and local health care experts. Our affiliates believe strongly that their local boards and their local leadership are uniquely positioned to make decisions based on what best meets the needs of their particular employees and their community.

This holds particularly true when it comes to negotiating contracts for employees. Affiliates believe they can be most responsive to the needs of employees when they address local wage, benefit and workplace issues independently; they believe a "one-size-fits-all" master contract does not benefit employees in their communities.

While a master contract for every affiliate would help SEIU United Healthcare Workers West organize new members and raise additional dues revenues, it would do nothing to benefit employees at the affiliate level. In fact, a master contract would erode each affiliate's ability to be responsive to the local needs of employees and place an unnecessary layer between employees and their managers.

What is Sutter Health’s position on organized labor?

Where labor union relationships exist at our affiliates, labor contracts are honored and bargained locally in good faith with the goal of promoting positive labor/management relations while abiding by all applicable laws and regulations. Efforts are made to develop effective ways of resolving any issues where the contributions of all parties are invited and the value of all members of the team is made clear to all participants.

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