Union Caregivers and Lutheran Hospital Avoid Strike, Reach Contract

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

After months of negotiations, SEIU 1199 caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital reached an agreement for a new contract for union members, voting to support the agreement on Saturday night and avoiding a Labor Day strike.

A joint statement from the hospital and the union said that “the union and the hospital are proud that the new agreement provides fair benefits and greatly improved wages for union members, while allowing the hospital to continue to provide excellent care to the community.”

At the end of July, union caregivers voted to authorize an unfair labor Practice strike against Cleveland Clinic after failing to make progress with hospital leadership in contract negotiations.

A release from the caregivers’ union at the time alleged that working conditions amounted to discrimination from Cleveland Clinic against some of its lowest paid caregivers — who are predominantly women and people of color.

The new three-year agreement will give union caregivers paid maternity and parental leave, employer-paid short-term disability leave, a 50% hospital match on their 403(b) retirement benefit, expanded rights and protections on the job, and an average wage increase of 15.6% for the first year of the agreement, with wage increases each year thereafter as well.

“Union members can rest easily knowing this new agreement finally speaks for them and provides the equity and equality they have been missing– and rightfully deserve,” said SEIU 1199 director Vanessa Dalesandro in an email. “This new agreement is a major victory for all Union caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital and a great reminder of the power of labor as we come out of Labor Day!”
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