Los Angeles and Downey have both passed SEIU-UHW’s ballot initiative to establish a $25/hr minimum wage for private sector healthcare workers who work in hospitals, integrated health systems, and dialysis clinics in their cities — and more cities are on the way!

$25/hour minimum pay

If you are making less than $25/hour in one of the cities where the law has passed, your employer will be required to raise your pay once the ordinance goes into effect.

No cuts to hours or staffing

The law explicitly forbids employers from cutting hours, staff, or services to raise wages. Our employers are making big profits during this pandemic — they have more than enough to raise wages without any cuts.

Timeline

Los Angeles — according to the city, the law will go into effect on August 14, 2022.

Downey — according to the city, the law will go into effect 10 days after it was voted into law (July 12).

We made this happen

The L.A. and Downey city councils voted to pass this law because UHW members collected signatures to put the minimum wage increase on the ballot for this November’s election.

Why this matters

Setting a healthcare worker minimum wage is a big step towards fixing the staffing shortages, burnout and overwork that we are all facing. Our employers refuse to take serious action to fully staff our facilities and are always looking to cut wages and benefits. The minimum wage helps us fight back:

• Raising wages from the bottom puts pressure on employers to raise wages for all of us
• It helps to retain workers who are considering leaving healthcare and recruit new ones — an critical part of fixing staffing shortages
• It sets a wage standard that puts us in a strong position when we bargain our next contract
• It’s tied to inflation, so if the cost of living keeps rising, wages will too

We’re just getting started

Los Angeles and Downey are leading the way, but we are already moving to win a healthcare worker minimum wage in seven other cities: Long Beach, Inglewood, Lynwood, Duarte, Monterey Park, Baldwin Park and Culver City.

We are working to win a $25 minimum wage for all healthcare workers in California, raise wages for all healthcare workers, make sure our workplaces are fully staffed, and improve patient care for all Californians.