NUHW Experiences Significant Growth Amidst Worker Rights Challenges

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Amidst challenges faced by workers from the Trump Administration, healthcare employees across California, and even in Philadelphia, are actively joining the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) to secure their rights.

This year marked significant progress for NUHW, highlighted by five successful organizing efforts during the holiday season. Notably, the union's expansion reached Pennsylvania with the unionization of Rogers Behavioral Health workers in Philadelphia, receiving considerable media coverage. Additionally, NUHW strengthened its presence at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister, various Providence Health facilities in Humboldt County and the North Bay, and First Step for Kids, an organization aiding children with autism.

Over the past year, NUHW welcomed more than 1,300 new members from hospitals in Torrance, Healdsburg, Anaheim, and Whittier.

NUHW President Emeritus Sal Rosselli stated, “Healthcare workers want a union that empowers them to provide the best care under the best conditions for the best pay. Our members are using their collective power every day to improve their lives and the care that patients receive — and that does not go unnoticed by their peers.”

Unity Fuels Change

Just prior to Thanksgiving, 21 employees at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital voted to join their colleagues in NUHW, including insurance billers, patient account representatives, emergency technicians, and business analysts. Their decision follows a successful court challenge by NUHW to overturn the hospital’s bankruptcy.

Los Angeles Workers Take a Stand

Despite delays caused by a government shutdown and resistance from employers, 49 workers at First Steps for Kids successfully voted to unionize with NUHW on December 12. These workers, including behavioral health technicians, provide essential services to autistic children in Los Angeles.

Alejandra Maldonado, one of the workers, emphasized the importance of having a voice in the workplace, stating, “The change I would want first is for the workers to have a space where their thoughts and concerns can be shared so we can work as a unit to make a workplace a better place every day.”

Overcoming Delays to Secure Union Growth

NUHW also expanded its influence within the Providence Health system, with 26 Providence Napa Homecare workers and two Providence St. Joseph Eureka employees joining the union. These workers, including nurses and therapists, serve Napa County, where operations are handled by Compassus, a private equity-backed firm.

Homecare nurse Letitia Camarillo expressed the collective determination to achieve fair conditions, saying, “We see what’s happening with Providence, and we’re ready to team up with our counterparts in the region to win fair salaries and protect the care our community depends on. It’s going to take all of us to win a good contract from Compassus and Providence, but we’re committed to getting it done.”