SEIU healthcare workers ratify new contract

Nurses and other healthcare professionals at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics who are members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa have ratified a new contract with the hospital. They reached a tentative agreement during the last week of February. About 3,800 SEIU members overwhelming voted on Tuesday to approve the deal. This follows months of bargaining, including SEIU members holding an informational picket in February.

“I’ve been involved with several contract negotiations, and this was the most challenging due to the disrespect the Board of Regents showed us,” said Dawn Shannahan, who has worked at UIHC for over three years as an Educator. “I’m extremely disappointed they were unwilling to discuss the numerous permissible contract topics we brought to the table. Despite my frustration with how this stacks up to other states and sectors, we made gains in our contract because we stuck together, fought back, and stood up to our bosses. There is a lot that still needs to be done in order for our members to feel valued and supported by UIHC! I hope this motivates even more members to join us in the fight so we can continue to make wins for healthcare workers at UIHC and across Iowa!”

Among the highlights of the contract are: 

• 3% increase to base pay for all job classes in agreement,
• 6% increase across the board for existing employees and 3% each year,
• Eliminating maximum salaries from the contract,
• Extending Labor-Management Committee to continue discussing issues and solutions,
• Best agreement for the group since changes to Chapter 20 of Iowa Law in 2017.

Michele Whaylen, who has worked at UIHC for over seven years as a PA-C, expressed frustration that it took so much fighting to get the gains won by frontline healthcare workers and expressed the need for UIHC to do even better in the future. “These gains are still pitifully inadequate. Healthcare workers in Minnesota are getting in the range of 15-18% in order to exceed inflation thereby seeing actual improvements in compensation. The public needs to be concerned because everyone eventually needs healthcare. I hope there will be a tsunami of support for unions and voting for politicians that support unions so we can make real change.”

“There is no doubt that members would have received far less without the incredible solidarity and support from nurses and professionals sticking together through their Union at UIHC,” said SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa President Jamie Gulley. “We plan to build on this agreement and continue advocating for better wages and benefits through mid-contract organizing and advocacy in the years ahead.”