Albert Lea hospital workers to strike for 1 day; Mayo files charge against service union

Published 8:53 am Friday, December 8, 2017

Union service workers at Mayo Clinic Health System-Albert Lea announced Thursday they intend to strike later this month regarding conflict over a new contract, filing a 10-day notice of intent to hold a one-day unfair labor practice strike on Dec. 19.

Mayo, in turn, filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union with the National Labor Relations Board, a step it called “uncommon (but) necessary to ensure union leadership will negotiate in good faith,” said Mayo spokeswoman Ginger Plumbo.

She added that the strike would now cause employees a loss of a week’s employment, because  contractual obligations required of hiring replacement workers.

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SEIU Healthcare Minnesota includes 79 members who work as certified nursing assistants, housekeepers, sterile processing and utilities and materials management workers.

The developments came as the two sides worked on a multi-year contract. Conflict sparked after the union objected to a clause that union benefits could change in accordance with a change in benefits for non-unionized employees, according to the union.

“We are especially disappointed that the union would call a strike now, since the SEIU General group, which composes the majority of the impacted workers, didn’t even ask us for a bargaining session between May and last week, and a recently scheduled meeting with the union has yet to occur,” Plumbo said.

“We cannot let the union’s decision compromise patient care, and we have previously informed the union that we must bring in replacement workers to ensure there are no disruptions. Due to contractual obligations to the replacement workers that are standard industry practice, the union’s decision means striking employees will be out of work for one week from the commencement of any strike.”

‘Families … are simply fighting for ‘good jobs’

Still, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota President Jamie Gulley  said the contract is allowing employees to fight back against the hospital system.

“Families in Albert Lea are simply fighting for good jobs and a commitment from Mayo to show that they value the Albert Lea community,” he said. “For skilled maintenance workers, they have been without a contract for two years, and the general group for over a year.

“Mayo continues to insist on rolling back protections for workers and won’t budge on their demands to strip basic security and respect from people who have dedicated decades of experience to their community hospital. It is a slap in the face to the whole community.”

Union opposing  ‘standard language’

Plumbo, however, says the union opposes “standard contract language that would allow the medical center to make adjustments to the benefits during the contract period to keep benefits consistent with those offered to other union and non-union employees. This contract language has already been accepted by virtually all union groups within the Mayo Clinic Health System, including all other union groups in Albert Lea and Austin and also applies to virtually all non-union employees.”

But some workers remain angry.

“I wish Mayo would appreciate our community and the people who keep the wheels turning in the hospital,” union housekeeper Marlene Baseman said in a SEIU press release. “Mayo’s actions affect everyone in the community, so that is why I’m willing to take this stand.

“What frustrates me is that at the bargaining table, we have been willing to give and give and give, and when it is Mayo’s turn to compromise, they haven’t given an inch. They seem to want to throw away all of what we have now. They offer us pennies and cut back at our hospital while we see them spending big bucks in other places.”

Gulley said the lock-out was a Mayo “threat” against employees but that employees would not be swayed.

“The workers and the community are united for what is right. Over the last few years, it has become clear that Albert Lea workers, patients and community members are ready and willing to fight for good jobs and good health care in our community.

“It is time Mayo listens to families in Albert Lea instead of apparently only focusing on their bottom line while sitting in their executive suites,” Gulley added.

Plumbo said, however, that Mayo values its workers, and “the contribution of our maintenance and service employees and the important role they fulfill in the operations of the Mayo Clinic Health System.

“We remain committed to providing them fair wages and benefits. The employees are being offered the same Mayo Clinic benefits package that is enjoyed by virtually all other allied health employees, which we strongly believe is better as a whole than the benefits they currently receive.”

Some material for the article was taken from the Albert Lea Tribune, a sister paper to the Austin Daily Herald.