Welcome to SEIU Healthcare Michigan

Healthcare Michigan Stronger Together

WELCOME TO SEIU HEALTHCARE MICHIGAN WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER

3031 W Grand Blvd, Suite 555, Detroit • 1657 S. Getty Street, Muskegon • 866.734.8466 www.SEIUHealthcareMI.org SEIUHCMI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our Mission ........................................................... 2 Message from the SEIU Healthcare Michigan Executive Board .................................................... 3 2020 Victories at a Glance .................................. 4-5 What is a Union ..................................................... 6 The Union Difference ........................................... 7 Timeline and steps to form a union .................... 8 Committee On Political Education (COPE).......... 9

Healthcare Michigan Stronger Together

Greetings!

We welcome you to the largest healthcare workers’ union in Michigan, with over 11,000 proud members delivering quality care to their patients and consumers every day.

You have made a powerful decision to join together with your co-workers in our union to advocate for fair wages, stronger benefits, dignity and respect in the workplace, and a fair and just society.

SEIU Healthcare Michigan members awake each day to provide essential, compassionate work across the state of Michigan. As nurses, aides, hospital techs, home care, and nursing home workers, we care for some of Michigan’s most vulnerable residents. We are proud to keep our communities healthy and safe, to fight for good jobs for all working people, and to raise our voices to ensure everyone has access to union quality healthcare. Together, with the support of a stronger and more transparent local, we will continue to fight and win for Michigan families.

We are united by our belief in the dignity and worth of workers and remain dedicated to fighting for good jobs, delivering quality care, and protecting the rights of people in our communities.

As activists and advocates, we believe that no matter who you are or where you’re from, if you work hard you should be able to afford to live a good life and provide a better one for your loved ones. Our solidarity is key to restoring our economy and building a better future for our families.

Thank you again for making this commitment to standing in solidarity with your fellow healthcare workers.

Our strength is in our numbers and our desire to fight together. If you have any questions or would like to become involved in union activity, please contact one of our organizers.

In Solidarity,

Andrea Acevedo President of SEIU Healthcare Michigan

Ken Haney Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Michigan

1

OUR MISSION

Healthcare Michigan Stronger Together

We are SEIU Healthcare Michigan, an organization of healthcare workers, united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide. We are dedicated to improving the lives of our members, their families, and the people they care for and to create a more just and humane society.

We are healthcare workers who work to build a strong union to empower ourselves and to protect the people we serve.

Our vision is of a society that:

4 4 4

• Puts patients and quality care first.

• Provides affordable, quality care to every man, woman, and child in Michigan.

• Recognizes that all healthcare workers must be treated with the professional respect and dignity they have earned, including high standards for pay, benefits, training and staffing, and the freedom to unite in a union without interference.

4

• Understands that workers must have a strong voice in the workplace and be full partners with management in determining the best way to deliver quality care.

4

• Ensures quality, long-term care to meet the needs of our aging population in the coming years.

MESSAGE FROM THE SEIU HEALTHCARE MICHIGAN EXECUTIVE BOARD: Welcome to our union! You have joined together with thousands of hospital, nursing home, and home care workers across our state as a member of SEIU Healthcare Michigan. You have also joined over 2 million members of SEIU Nationwide. This booklet will give you a brief overview of our work, our membership, and what you can expect as a member of SEIU Healthcare Michigan. We hope that as you continue in your journey as a member of Healthcare Michigan, you will use your voice and your power to advocate for better contracts and working conditions in your facility.

HAVE QUESTIONS? CONTACT YOUR ORGANIZER!

3

2020 VICTORIE Healthcare Workers Fight to #ProtectAllWorkers in a Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic pushed our country into an economic and public health crisis. As the federal government failed to prepare and respond to the crisis, workers were abandoned on the front lines and were forced to take a stand. SEIU members - including hospital, home care and nursing home workers - used their voices and collective power to come together in a campaign to Protect All Workers to ensure their health, safety and financial security.

Nursing Home Workers Strike for Black Lives On July 20th, working people in more than 100 cities demanded action from corporations and the government to dismantle white supremacy and to ensure the health, safety, and economic well-being of every worker. Nursing home workers in Detroit used their power to go on strike and launch protests to demand an end to structural racism and create an economy and democracy that works for all of us with no exceptions.

SEIU Nursing Home Worker Appointed to Governor’s COVID-19 taskforce Detroit nursing home worker Trece Andrews was named to Governor Whitmer’s COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force. Andrews, the only nursing home worker who was appointed to the task force, represented frontline healthcare workers across Michigan who were impacted during the pandemic. The task force presented recommendations to the Governor and worked to improve the care, safety, and wellness of Michigan’s most vulnerable populations. They concluded by presenting their recommendations in August of 2020.

Beaumont Workers Win a New Contract In February, hospital workers from SEIU Healthcare Michigan reached an agreement with Beaumont Health over contract negotiations that had been ongoing for close to 18 months.

The new contract provided a raise for nearly a thousand union workers which included service employees, maintenance workers, housekeeping workers, dietary aids, CNAs and patient sitters.

ES AT A GLANCE Mercy Health Nurses and Emergency Department Tech’s Vote to Join SEIU A majority of over 800 registered nurses at Mercy Health in Muskegon voted yes to be represented by SEIU Healthcare Michigan. The election was precipitated by the announced consolidation of Mercy Health Muskegon’s Hackley and Mercy Campuses into a new medical tower which was recently constructed at the Mercy Campus. Earlier this year, Ed Techs also voted to unionize and join SEIU. WIth the addition of both groups, SEIU now represents over 1,800 nurses, technical and service workers at Mercy Health, including ER techs, certified nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, lab techs, dietary workers and environmental services workers. With all nurses and caregivers now united together, they have a much greater voice to advocate for their patients with the administration.

Nursing Home Workers Win New Contracts, Demand Owners Respect us, Protect us, and Pay us!

ing you figr hftuture for ou

As the pandemic tears through nursing homes in Michigan, healthcare workers are standing up to demand that owners protect us, respect us, and pay us! In October, workers organized and used their collective voice to put pressure on owners to negotiate contracts with higher wages, stronger benefits, and protections from COVID-19. When owners refused to budge, workers organized to walk off the job in protest. Owners saw the power of our workers, and 20 nursing homes settled new contracts before the strike could begin-- one nursing home settled after only two days of a strike.

The success of our campaign is a testament to the strength of our workers united together to demand changes in the nursing home industry.

What will you win now that you’re union strong?

We’ve proven time and time again that we are stronger together.

As you embark on the fight for better working conditions for all healthcare workers in Michigan, we want to remind you that this is your union. This is your voice, and with your participation, we can continue to secure better pay and benefits that care workers deserve and protect the people we serve.

5

?? ?

WHAT IS A UNION? Unions do more than just bring together workers for a voice on the job–joining together brings tangible, life-changing benefits to union members like you. Benefits like secure retirement, paid leave, healthcare and better pay are clearly higher for union members than nonunion members.

Check out these stats!

? ?

?? ?

BENEFITS Working families have the power, not the boss Workers enjoy guaranteed annual raises Workers build power to win a stronger contract Working families have access to member discounts and benefits Workers have a voice and a vote on contracts and union elections Working families can join together to build strength through political action Workers have voice on the job about working conditions and other issues

UNION

NONUNION

4 4 4 4 4 4 4

7 7 7 7 7 7 7

Without my union, we would never have earned the contract we deserved. My union gave me a voice with the Governor about working conditions in our nursing homes. We were able to take our fight to the strike lines and won a new contract for nursing home workers.

- Carolyn Cole CNA at Four Seasons

THE UNION DIFFERENCE • A unionized workplace is one that has a recognized labor organization that serves as a bargaining representative A union can bargain or negotiate salary and wage rates as well as employee benefits, procedures, workplace safety, and policies.

• Unionized employees earn 14% more per hour than their non-union counterparts, and they are 54% more likely to have a retirement plan.

• Weingarten Rights: Your rights at the workplace: One of the most important rights that workers have as a member of a union are called Weingarten Rights. These rights state that if you are brought into a disciplinary or investigatory meeting or interview, you have the right to have a representative from the union present.

Unionized workers are more likely to receive benefits than those in a non-unionized workforce.

WHAT HAVE UNIONS MADE POSSIBLE?

Pregnancy and parental leave

Overtime pay

Disability protections

Regulated workplace safety protocols and standards

Equal pay protections, guaranteeing that men and women are equally paid for equal work

Employer-paid health insurance

Sick leave

Privacy rights

Paid vacation and holiday pay

Pensions

Working in healthcare during a pandemic, my union is more important than ever.

We must stick together as healthcare workers to fight for respect, protection, and fair pay.

- Melissa Bloom Nurse at McLaren

7

TIMELINE TO FORM A UNION

When it came time for an election, our nurses voted overwhelmingly to be represented by SEIU. SEIU offers the strongest contract with superior wages, benefits, and working conditions. SEIU also provides a national network of over a million healthcare professionals. As a union, we have the power to advocate for our patients, raise our job standards, and advance the nursing profession.

- Wendy Trach Nurse at Mercy Health

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Identify our issues Build an organizing committee Collect union authorization cards Build towards a majority File to show majority support for unionizing WIN our union!

Bargain our first contract!

COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION My name is Tinitco Moore. I give to the SEIU Healthcare Michigan Committee on Political Education (COPE) because I want to build a better life for myself, my family and my community. COPE helps us win higher wages, more job security and higher standards. The committee makes sure working people like me have a voice in the political process!

COPE is how working people hold elected officials accountable and fight for better laws that protect working men and women like me and you in the Midwest. In addition, because member dues cannot be used for political action, we need COPE. Consider donating to COPE today, like I do, so that working people can use our influence to change our cities, our states and our entire nation, and hold elected officials accountable!

Over the years, our COPE dollars have been put to good use, fighting for things like:

BETTER OVERTIME LAWS

PROTECTING MEDICARE, MEDICAID & SOCIAL SECURITY

EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE IN MICHIGAN

AND SO MUCH MORE!

SIGN UP FOR COPE AND HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICALS ACCOUTABLE. JUST FILL OUT THE CARD ON THE BACK ADD A STAMP AND DROP IN THE MAIL!

Healthcare Michigan Stronger Together

SEIU Healthcare Michigan 3031 W Grand Blvd, Suite 555, Detroit, MI 48202

STAMP GOES HERE!

Healthcare Michigan Stronger Together

SEIU Healthcare Michigan 3031 W Grand Blvd, Suite 555, Detroit, MI 48202

In 2020 during a major election year, working people voted in mass to change the course of the election. I am proud to be part of a program that fought for racial and economic justice for healthcare workers.

- Carmelita Ford Hospital Worker and Member Political Organizer As a Member Political Organizer, I am passionate about helping workers use their voice to strengthen our union. When workers demand a seat at the table, we have been able to pass legislation that increases wages and improves working conditions.

- Vernette Homes Home Care Worker and Member Political Organizer

DONATE TO COPE TODAY,

so that working people can use our influence and hold elected officials accountable!

First Name:________________________________ Last Name:______________________________________ Email:__________________________________________________ Phone:___________________________ Employer Name:___________________________________________________________________________ I would like to donate to COPE q Yes q No COPE Monthly Amount: q $10 q $15 q $20 q __________ Signature________________________________________________________________ Date:____________ This authorization is made voluntarily based on my specific understanding that: 1) I am not required to sign this form or make voluntary contribtuions to SEIU COPE as a condition of my employment or membership in the union; 2) I may refuse to contribute without reprisal; 3) Under law, only union members and executive / administrative staff who are U.S. Citizens or lawful permanent residents are eligible to contribute to COPE; 4) The contribution amounts on this form are merely suggestions, and I can contribute more or less by this or other means without fear or favor of disadvantage from SEIU or my employer; 5) SEIU COPE uses the money it receives for political purposes - including, but not limited to, making contributions to and expenditures on behalf of candidates for federal, state, and local offices - and addressing political issues of public importance. This authorization shall remain in effect until revoked by me in writing via U.S. mail to SEIU. Contributions or gifts to SEIU COPE are not tax deductible as charity contributions.