WORKERS DEMAND BETTER PAY AT GROSSMONT HOSPITAL

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By Nadin Abbott

December 13, 2012 (La Mesa) Housekeeping and dietary workers were once again outside Grossmont Hospital walking the sidewalk yesterday.  The employees work for Sodexo, a subcontractor whose workers are paid less than Sharp Hospital employees but are charged more for their healthcare, say union representatives who seek fairer wage and benefit terms for Sodexo workers.

Sodexo, a contract company that provides hospital personnel, was not available for comments on the ongoing labor negotiations.

The group was smaller than the last informational rally. The reason, according to Patty Arballo, a member of the negotiating team of the United Health Care Employee Union was that management called for a last minute mandatory meeting, which  Arballo called "very disrespectful of the employees."

It was also a somber beginning, since union negotiator Bill Rouse was absent due to the death of his brother one day earlier. The workers first held a minute of silence for Rouse's brother. Afterwards, the first batch of workers started marching, led by union steward Alex Burstein.

The Union has made some progress,according to Burstein. Sodexo has agreed to raise the pay raise over three years by 2.25%, more than the 1.75% they were offering a month ago. Sodexo though "is still being difficult and they are not budging on health care."

Sodexo is charging its employees, whose pay averages $9.09/hour, $38.40 per pay period for healthcare for a single employee with no dependents. That's more than three times as much as a Sharp employee, who pays ljust $10.20 for healthcare coverage.

These are the lowest paid workers at the hospital. A Sodexo family is paying $118.88 versus $96.42 for a Sharp Employee. Sodexo is the subcontractor for Sharp Hospital and manages dietary services, housekeeping, environmental services and clerical. The company's goal is to keep the cost of labor low. (See ECM coverage of prior rally at Grossmont: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/11770)

When asked why Sharp workers are charged less for healthcare than Sodexo employees earning below the federal poverty level, John Cihomsky, in administration at Grossmont Hospital, replied simply, “Those are vastly different jobs.”

According to Arballo, the hospital management "is trying to discourage employees from picketing for our contract."

José Ramirez, also a member of the negotiating team and shop steward, told me that "we will continue to fight so these people understand that we need a pay raise. They should realize that everything costs more."

Ramirez added that "there are families that need to be fed, rents to be paid, and bills to be paid."

Rebecca told me that would have to pay about $2000 a year in insurance and she still cannot afford to get dental work done. She can't afford the insurance either.

Carmen Flores said that "she cannot afford rent in a dignified place." Flores also comes to Grossmont from downtown. The transit pass is $75.00/month, though Grossmont gets workers a break reducing the cost to $50. It is still a significant chunk of their pay check.

 Maria Sepulveda, who comes from Chula Vista, told ECM "we want a humane treatment." She added that "They treat us as if we were animals. We are workers." These are older workers, who are harassed in order to drive them off the job site, so they can replace them with part time staff.

Ernestina Gury has been working at the hospital for five years. She came in making $8.50/hour. After five years she is barely making $9.01/hour.

 Faustina Perez also told ECM that more than a few workers are not supporting these pickets, not because they don't want to fight for better pay. They are afraid of reprisals. These pickets are legal, but fear is keeping workers away.

 The three hour picket closed when Lorena Gonzalez, Treasurer-Secretary of the San Diego-Imperial County Central Labor Council came to support the workers. "The entire labor movement will stand with you through these negotiations," she promised.

 Gonzalez also told these workers that the people who usually face the deepest cuts are the ones who can afford them the least, and that is why unions are needed.

 Arballo invited her to join the team tomorrow at the negotiation table. Gonzalez said that she'd be there, with other representatives.

 Not surprising, there is high turnover  among these workers, according to John Conroy, a former Sodexo employee and one of the people who started the Union when Sharp first outsourced these departments to Marriott Corporation.

 Early in the picket I talked to a non named Sharp employee, who is not part of this. He is in upper management. His reaction was, "If they don't like it...they can find another job or start a business."


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