VoiceAtSaintJoes.org

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

2008-07-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

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.

Episode 1: Robert Reich on Union Rights

2008-03-05T01:23:00.000-08:00

The premiere episode of VoiceAtSaintJoes web radio is a conversation with Robert Reich, Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, and former Secretary of Labor. Reich recently wrote SF Chronicle op-ed, "Does Labor Need More Clout?"

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Excerpts from Robert Reich interview:

When I talked to the head of the order and the CEO of the Hospital, I suggested perhaps it might be a good idea just to give workers voice... and they said 'No, our workers can be heard and say anything they want.' Well, I've heard the same thing from many anti-union organizations who have convinced themselves that their workers are ‘free to talk’ when in fact many workers feel intimidated if they don’t have the protection of a union. ...

This is an order of nuns that in the past have taken progressive positions... If an order of nuns — that is progressive — cannot understand the importance of unions, then there's is a huge problem in this country in terms of understanding why unions exist and why its important for, particularly low-wage service, workers to be unionized.

Without a union workers feel powerless... They don't want to say anyting for fear of losing their jobs. This particular employer has already been cited by the National Labor Relations Board for unfair labor practices.

About Us

2008-03-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Saint Joseph’s Health System and its workers have a mission to provide quality health care based on the values of Catholic social teachings – caring for the community and protecting the vulnerable. Yet when it comes to workers’ rights to decide on forming themselves into a union without interference, top leaders of the health system have turned away from their teachings and tradition of supporting justice and fairness for all workers.

Contact us by e-mail at: info [at] voiceatsaintjoes.org

Host Judith Remy Leder, a former Sister with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, brings you stories of extraordinary convictions interviewing the people living their values through hard work at St. Joe’s. Their desire to form a union without interference comes from the deeply held belief in cooperation and mutual support in the health care workplace.

VoiceAtSaintJoes.org web radio takes us back to the basics with the inspiring legacy of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange through stories of their history the values shared by the workers at St. Joe’s – marching with Cesar Chávez to build the United Farm Workers, defending social justice organizers in Central America, and founding SJHS as a leader in community values health care.

In contrast to all their many other good works, sadly in the recent past, St. Joe’s has acted more like a large powerful corporation driven by the bottom line to resist employee’s efforts to have a voice by organizing a union. Interviews with workers, theologians, labor advocates and community leaders show the benefits of an organized workplace and why free and fair election guidelines are needed.

VoiceAtSaintJoes.org will shed light on this unfolding drama for justice until a free and fair election will be a new beginning for the good works that everyone can be proud of.

Listen on the web or on your iPod via http://www.voiceatsaintjoes.org

Host's Bio

Judith Remy Leder, an educator for three decades, was a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange from 1960-1975. (Judith/Dr. Leder) has taught every grade level--from pre-school to grad school. After receiving her MA at Cal State Fullerton, she spent a year studying at Trinity College, Dublin, and was awarded her PhD in English from UC Irvine in 1982. She has taught at UC Irvine, and at the University of Cincinnati; she was the Director of the Business Writing Program at Cal State Fullerton for six years. She lives in happy retirement with her husband, Hans, a cultural anthropologist.

When I was a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph, I was proud of the community's stand on behalf of the Farm Workers. I've come out of retirement to support the union effort at St. Joseph Health System because I believe that the Sisters' employees deserve a voice in their workplace every bit as much as the Farm Workers deserved one.