Lutheran Hospital Workers Could Start Striking Sept. 4

The hospital says it plans to continue negotiations but the union says it has engaged in union busting and retaliation. Credit: Bill McChesney / flickrcc

SEIU District 1199 member caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital will begin striking on Labor Day if they can’t reach an agreement with the hospital.

“I am striking for change,” said Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital menu specialist Tajuana Johnson. “Not only for myself but for my coworkers and those who will come behind me. If I don’t work any overtime my pay will not cover my household expenses. Inflation has risen and my pay remains the same.”

The union has filed more than two dozen unfair labor practice charges against Lutheran Hospital with the National Labor Relations Board over issues like illegal union busting activities, retaliation, discrimination and refusal to furnish information, according to a release from the SEIU 1199.

Union caregivers voted at the end of July to authorize a ULP strike against Cleveland Clinic. Organizers say they’ve been “fighting for a fair contract” since early April but have made little progress working with hospital leadership.

“I’ve been with the Clinic for 16 years now and before the Clinic merged with Lutheran Hospital we have never had to go to this extent when it came to bargaining for a new contract,” Johnson said. “The Clinic is trying to operate this small facility like the larger hospitals. It just won’t work.”

A press release from the caregivers’ union alleges that Cleveland Clinic discriminates against some of the lowest paid caregivers–who are predominantly women and people of color–by denying them employer-paid disability coverage, maternity and parental leave, 403(b) retirement security and requiring they work more hours to be eligible for hospital benefits than their other workers.

Lutheran Hospital is currently the only Cleveland Clinic hospital with a union in the city. Last Wednesday, SEIU 1199 held a solidarity picket outside the hospital.

A representative of Cleveland Clinic did not respond to questions about the union’s specific allegations or plans if a strike does happen, but did share the following statement:

“We want to assure the community that care for patients at Lutheran Hospital will go on uninterrupted. We plan to continue negotiating with the bargaining unit at Lutheran Hospital with the goal of achieving a mutually agreeable contract renewal. We appreciate the loyalty and dedication of all our caregivers at Lutheran Hospital.”

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