Episode 5: Dolores Huerta, Co-founder of the United Farmworkers, on the need for a free and fair election

Legendary advocate for many progressive causes for over 50 years recently met with two top-level managers of Saint Joseph Health Systems to call for a free and fair election agreement. "The Sisters have had a stellar reputation through the years of helping people in need," said Huerta, "yet when it comes to their own workers, the Sisters seem to have a blind spot." She likens the need for a free and fair union election to that of having a referee in a basketball game so that "if there's a foul, it can be handled immediately."

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Episode 4: Tefere Gebre, Orange County labor leader, on how St. Joseph's organizing benefits the community

Tefere Gebre, Political Director of the Orange County Labor Council, talks about the positive effects of St. Joseph's workers' organizing themselves in this vital county. Orange County is the second largest in the state and the 6th largest in the country. The OC Labor Council supports ongoing community and labor solidarity for the organizing efforts of the workers at St. Joseph's. Mr. Gebre calls on the management of St. Joseph's to respect the workers' voice by negotiating a free and fair election agreement.

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Excerpts from the Teferi Gebre interview:

"There is a lot of potential for workers to empower themselves in Orange County. The workers at St. Joe's are taking the lead, in my perspective, in the larger workforce in Orange County in setting an example that nothing is given to you. You have to fight for it.

Believe it or not, it doesn't matter how wonderful of a management you have, you need a union and you need workers coming together to voice what's working and what needs to be improved. And that's what the workers are trying to do at St. Joe's.

They [the SJHS management] repeatedly have said, even to myself, that they don't mind if their workers choose a union. If that's true, let's get those rules on paper, sign it, and stick with it and let your workers decide whatever they want to decide and whatever they want to do."

Episode 3: Gil Zamora, injured at work, fights for his 47-year job and for dignity

A veteran worker at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Orange California fights for a voice and for dignity at work. Gil Zamora's 47 years of dedicated service to his hospital may come to an undignified end after an injury on the job and a long recovery that followed. First he was told his job would be waiting for him, but then it was filled and he was told he could apply for a different job at half the pay. Mr. Zamora’s story shows how even the most loyal employees are vulnerable to a system where corporate values have replaced the stated values of Saint Joes: Dignity, Justice, Service and Excellence.

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Mr Zamora is still hoping to complete 50 years with the hospital and then retire. His story is being publicized in recent press coverage:

El Hospital St. Joseph Despide a un Empleado Despúes de 47 Años Servico
St. Joseph Hospital Fires an Employee after 47 Years on the Job

Lideres Comunitarios Apoyan al Trabajador Despedido del Hospital St. Joseph

Excerpts from Gil Zamora's interview:

I'm 72 years old. My whole family has put in close to 100 years of service to the hospital. I want to get the union to get there -- not for me. It's for the other people there. They don't get good benefits, no voice. You can talk to the supervisor and he says 'I'll take care of it' and they never do. I wish the union gets there and make it better for the employees.

I got in an accident. It took a year almost for them to approve my surgery. I got a letter that it was fine that I’m going to have surgery but I was not able to get my medical leave of absence because I didn’t work enough hours that year [because of a previous injury]. ...

I went and talked to my boss because the letter that I got that they might get somebody in my position. And I talked to my boss. He says 'don’t worry about that letter, your job is secure.' And my son works there. He find out in December that they already hired somebody and took my position. ...

It was better when the sisters were there. It was like a family. We enjoyed going to work. Now it’s different. Now there’s nothing but pressure. I never got any good say so from my supervisor.

Episode 2: Michael Hartnett on why a union will be a win, win, win

Hartnett, a Respiratory Therapist with 33 years experience, confirms Robert Reich’s recent Op-Ed -- that having a union at Memorial Hospital will be good for the workers, and for the patients they’re committed to. This, in turn, will be good for St. Joseph’s Health Systems too, making it a triple win. Hartnett calls on SJHS to respect caregivers’ voices and agree to ground rules for a free and fair election.
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Excerpts from Michael Hartnett's interview:

It [a union] would bring a real voice which I’m sorry to say is truly not heard in a lot of circumstances. Front-line hospital workers are right there, they’re there with the patient day in -- day out. They know what the needs are, and to make decisions or to have a voice in those decisions would really benefit the St. Joseph corporation because they would have this front-line understanding of what needs to be done. And they share the common goal for good quality patient care, but to sustain that, you need the workers input.

The union would be a win-win-win. The patient wins because they get the input from caregivers, us, in terms of what changes need to be made to have, and sustain good quality patient care. The workers win because they get to have that voice and become more productive and satisfied in their job. And then the corporation wins because…the patient gets good quality care - it’s a Triple Win.

Deborah Proctor and Sr. Katherine Gray have both insisted that their workers don’t need a union because “we take such good care of them.” If that is really true then there should be no hesitance on their part to allow their workers to pursue a free and fair election.