WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital’s offer of wage increases of 3.5%, 3% and 3% over the three years of the contract along with other contract enhancements have been on the table for a week. In that time, SEIU has not proposed a counteroffer, and it has declined our request to meet to discuss our final offer. WellSpan is deeply disappointed in the union’s action to not recommend the Hospital’s Last, Best and Final offer and hold a strike vote today rather than continue negotiating a strong offer that benefits team members, patients and the community.
WellSpan’s offer guarantees increased pay over the next three years and other enhancements to team members’ total compensation package,despite challenges related to government cuts to healthcare funding. These cuts are concerning to us, as well as union leadership.
Yvonne Armstrong,the president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, had the following to say about how financially impactful the government’s decision on July 3 to cut healthcare funding will be:
…“Cutting $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will be disastrous for our healthcare system. It will cause tens of thousands of Americans to die annually, force healthcare facilities and services to shut down, create longer wait times and higher costs for everyone, and blow gigantic holes in states’ budgets as they try to make up for the loss of critical funding. The loss of tens of thousands of good-paying healthcare jobs will devastate families and disrupt local economies, especially in struggling urban and rural communities…” Her full statement is available: Megabill is Theft on a Massive Scale of Americans’ Healthcare & Financial Security (www.1199seiu.org/media-center)
Given how strong our current offer is at this time in our country, it is both disappointing and confusing that SEIU in Chambersburg has made this decision.
We want to reach an agreement with SEIU, but we need a contract that makes sense for everyone – the hospital, team members, patients and the community.
For the communities we serve, there are several important facts regarding any possible strike to know:
- This union only represents workers at WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital. No other WellSpan entities are affected.
- There is no strike scheduled at this time.
- The union must issue a 10-day strike notice to WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital. That means we have a 10-day advance notice of the strike, so we can take steps to continue to operate the hospital and care for the community.
“We’re fully prepared to maintain uninterrupted service to our community, with a comprehensive plan in place to ensure continuity of care,” said Niki Hinckle, senior vice president, WellSpan Health’s West Region. “We stand ready to serve our patients and support team members who show up to work. Our priority is clear. Patient care comes first, and we will not compromise on it.”
