Sharp management is telling us a lot about what it means to go union. Here’s the truth about uniting in SEIU-UHW.
How much are SEIU-UHW dues?
Dues are 2% of base pay with no dues on overtime pay or shift differentials. We will not pay any dues until we vote to ratify our contract — so we’ll lock in our guaranteed raises before we pay any dues. Dues cannot be raised without a vote by all union members.
Sharp management is saying that SEIU-UHW members at Sharp Grossmont Hospital are already paying union dues. Is that true?
No. SEIU-UHW members at Grossmont are NOT paying union dues — and they will NOT do so until they vote to ratify a contract that locks in guaranteed raises.
Why is Sharp management talking so much about us paying dues?
Stoking fear about union dues is a standard ploy bosses use to try to scare workers about unions. The reality is that management is scared that we’ll go union and have the power to win the pay, benefits, and working conditions we deserve.
Will I lose flexibility after going union?
Sharp’s main anti-union scare tactic has been to say that we’ll lose flexibility — and it’s simply not true. When we unite in SEIU-UHW, WE are the union. That means we’ll still have the right to speak directly to our employer about workplace issues like scheduling, staffing, and workloads.
Sharp is saying that if we go union my manager can’t change my schedule after it’s posted. Is that true?
No. A union contract protects you from unwanted changes to your schedule. You can still work with management directly on individual scheduling issues.
Sharp management keeps saying that the 1,600 workers at Sharp Grossmont Hospital and HospiceCare who already joined SEIU-UHW aren’t making any progress in contract bargaining. Is that true?
No. SEIU-UHW members at Sharp have already reached tentative agreements with management on 14 issues, including improved job security protections and a stronger voice for workers in staffing, safety, and other workplace matters. SEIU-UHW members at Sharp are now negotiating with management over economic issues such as wages, raises, and benefits.
Sharp management is saying that SEIU-UHW members at Sharp Grossmont Hospital and HospiceCare won’t get a contract anytime soon — and that the same will happen to us if we go union. Why are they saying this?
Sharp doesn’t want to settle a contract with Grossmont and HospiceCare workers because they don’t want us and other Sharp workers to unionize. So Sharp is bargaining in bad faith and causing delays with them in the hopes that it will discourage us from going union. That’s why we must unite in SEIU-UHW right away and join all the other Sharp union workers at the bargaining table — that will give us all more power to win a strong contract (which is exactly what management is afraid of!).
Will we have to go on strike if we go union?
Employers like Sharp often try to scare workers about strikes. The fact is that strikes are very rare — and they can be an incredibly powerful tool to winning a strong contract. Just look at the recent strike of SEIU-UHW members at Kaiser. That strike led to a contract with 21% raises over four years, the protection of fully employer-paid family healthcare coverage and pensions, major improvements to staffing, strong job security protections, and more. And remember, strikes only happen if a majority of union members in the bargaining unit vote for one.
Sharp is saying that if we go union, we’re not allowed to receive raises during contract bargaining. Is that true?
No. Sharp can issue pay raises during bargaining. The only reason you wouldn’t receive raises during bargaining is if Sharp refuses to pay them — and uses the union as their excuse. If Sharp is so eager to give us raises, let’s lock them in as guarantees in a union contract.
Is Sharp legally allowed to cut our wages or benefits before we win our union and bargain our contract?
Management cannot cut our wages or benefits to retaliate against us for forming our union. If anyone from Sharp management threatens you for unionizing, report the incident to a member of our SEIU-UHW Organizing Committee right away.
Management is telling us that bargaining will take a long time. Is that true?
By saying this, Sharp management may be threatening to bargain in bad faith with us, which is illegal. When employers bargain in good faith, union contracts are often reached far more quickly — and when we’re united in SEIU-UHW, we’ll have the legal power, strength, and resources of a 100,000-member union to overcome their delay tactics and win a strong contract.
