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When you’ve formed a union at your workplace, what’s next? Negotiating your first contract! Hear from Frederick Ocansey, a Direct Support Professional at CADES, about what first contract negotiations are like.
Want to form a union at your workplace? Contact us at [email protected] or 717-635-6729 for more information.
SEIU Local 668 Announces First Contract for Direct Care Workers at CADES
Last week, direct-care workers with CADES Residential Program in Delaware, Chester, and Bucks counties held a vote on their first-ever union contract. These workers fought to unionize their group homes with SEIU Local 668 back in 2019, and their inaugural negotiation team has been working for nearly a year to create their first contract.
This negotiation team worked tirelessly for many months, battling with CADES management to achieve an overall wage increase of 12.5% over this first contract, implement healthcare cost controls, provide clear, concise overtime and scheduling language, and secure a voice in the workplace through newly established Labor-Management Committees.
“Salaries have been stagnant,” Bucks County worker Frederick Ocansey explained. “CADES really needed a union for the employees, so that [we] can have a say in the affairs of the organization” he declared.
The bargaining unit, consisting of more than 200 direct-care workers based in nearly a dozen residential homes, voted unanimously to accept this first contract.
“We’re incredibly proud of what was achieved by the CADES bargaining team,” SEIU Local 668 president Steve Catanese said on Friday. “Many of these workers have been doing this work for years but weren’t earning a living wage. They are essential workers, and the services they provide to those in need, every single day, can take a toll mentally, physically, and emotionally on them. They, like so many other workers in Pennsylvania, deserve to be justly compensated. SEIU 668 members at CADES are excited to share news of their first contract so other direct-care workers can see what’s possible to achieve when you choose to form a union and have a seat at the table.”
SEIU Local 668 is incredibly proud of the CADES negotiation team, and we’re excited to celebrate the ratification of their first-ever union contract. We know this is just the beginning for these workers, and we hope their efforts will encourage fellow direct-care workers to unionize their workplaces.
For more information about how you can form a union at your workplace, contact us at [email protected] or call us at 717-635-6729.
What is it like to form a union at your worksite? Hear from Sumanya Narra, a Physician Assistant at PHMC, about her and her co-workers’ efforts to unionize PHMC.
Interested in learning more about how your workplace can organize a union? Contact us confidentially at [email protected] or 717-635-6729.
What to Expect When Organizing a Union at Your Workplace
When workers decide to form a union, they are taking a powerful first step towards improved working conditions, protections, wages, and benefits.
If you’re looking to start the process, start talking to your co-workers about the benefits of unionization. Molly Katchpole, an organizer with Writers Guild of America, recently told Refinery 29, “One big benefit [to unionizing] is that you get to know people that you didn’t know before, and it breaks down silos that the company has in place, to its benefit.” Building relationships with your co-workers is essential to union organizing.
You can start by talking to your co-workers about workplace issues you share. These may include:
A lack of respect from management
Low wages and substandard benefits
High staff turnover
Unsafe working conditions
Unwieldy caseload sizes
Inefficient internal processes that cause undue stress
After speaking with your co-workers and understanding your shared issues, reach out to a union, and a staff organizer will contact you to discuss the next steps. Union organizers understand the process and can help you speak with your co-workers about what to do next. They are knowledgeable about the collective bargaining process.
When management finds out employees are trying to form a union, you can expect pushback. Sticking together with your co-workers will show the boss the strength of your workforce. The union organizer is also there to offer support and guidance when you face pushback from management.
The following are illegal behaviors for employers to engage in:
Firing an employee for wanting to join a union or supporting a union
Asking a worker if they support the union
Providing employees who do not support the union with raises
Bribing or coercing an employee not to support collective bargaining
Companies spend millions of dollars a year on union-busting firms that teach managers how to use fear-based tactics to get employees to drop union campaigns. Marty Jay Levitt’s 1993 book, Confession of Union Buster, among others, details the lengths companies go to stop workers from organizing. And in the intervening period, managerial union-busting tactics have only gotten more sophisticated since.
A recent Vice article, Guide to Secure Labor Organizing, includes some sage advice about communicating with your co-workers about union organizing efforts, including not holding meetings or discussing unionizing efforts on company property or work time. In-person meetings or meetings via video conference are encouraged. And you should be mindful of email communication, especially social media posts, which can be shared and wind up in the hands of management.
While you may use email to keep your co-workers up-to-date, make sure you do not use company email accounts. In 2019, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled employees can’t use company email or technology to communicate about non-work-related subjects. Ask your co-workers for their personal email addresses and phone numbers so that you can keep them up-to-date with your union organizing efforts.
Once 30% of your co-workers sign a petition stating they want to form a union, you can file an NLRB or PLRB petition. The NLRB or PLRB will schedule a vote by secret ballot. After a majority of the workers vote to join the union, you can start negotiating your first contract.
Forming a union at your workplace can seem like a daunting task, but it is not one you will take on alone. Your co-workers and union organizer will be there with you. Once you have a voice at your workplace, it will be well worth it.
SEIU Local 668 represents counselors, direct care staff, social workers in the private and public sector in Pennsylvania. If you are in this industry and want to speak with an organizer, please complete this form. All of your information is kept confidential. You can also email us at [email protected] or call us at 717-635-6729.
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States with Collective Bargaining Have Better Wages and Benefits for Public Sector Workers
The Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act allows employees to join together form a union and collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and worker safety. In 2019, SEIU Local 668 members negotiated a four-year contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that included a 16.75 % pay increase over four years.
However, this kind of pay raise is not common in many states across the country. Many states do not allow collective bargaining for state and local government workers. In Mississippi, state workers must lobby the state legislature to get raises. In 2019, the legislature approved a 3% pay increase but, only 80 % of workers qualified for the raise. Across Mississippi, there are about 1,000 full-time public employees who only make around $20’000 per year.
In 1955 North Carolina instituted a ban on collective bargaining for state and local employees. Workers can be part of a union, but they can’t negotiate contracts, similar to Mississippi public sector workers must lobby the legislature for wage increases and benefits.
In North Carolina, the legislature also makes decisions about employee healthcare. Before 2021 employees who retired from the state were eligible for state employee healthcare. In 2017, the state legislature eliminated retiree healthcare coverage for new employees hired after Jan. 1, 2021. In Pennsylvania, union members negotiate retiree healthcare at the bargaining table. Wages and benefits are not something that can be taken away by the passage of a bill.
Corporate-funded anti-labor groups in Pennsylvania are working trying to get public sector employees to drop out of their union. Their goal is to weaken public-sector collective bargaining in Pennsylvania and, by extension, private-sector collective bargaining.
Public sector workers are stronger together and sticking with their unions despite attempts by these groups. If you are a public sector worker and would like to stand with other state workers and exercise your rights to collectively bargain, complete this form, an organizer from SEIU Local 668 will contact you. The form is completely confidential, and your information will not be shared outside of SEIU Local 668. You can also email us at [email protected] or call us at 717-635-6729.
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Are you a Pennsylvania public employee or a nonprofit worker looking to form a union at your workplace?
The right for private-sector employees to organize was established by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935. That Act also established the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which protects workers' rights to organize and form unions. However, the NLRA's provisions do not extend to public sector workers.
States determine whether public employees may organize and form unions. In Pennsylvania, the Public Employees Relations Act of 1970 (PERA) allows public employees such as county, municipal, and state employees to form a union and collectively bargain for better wages, benefits, and workplace safety. Similar to the NLRA, PERA
As per Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board Here are the steps workers must take, according to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board:
Before holding an official vote, 30 % of the workforce must agree to form a union
Employees must notify the employer that 30% of the bargaining unit wants to vote to form a union. If the employer agrees, employees must request a collective bargaining election that includes a description of the unit and how they determined 30% of employees are interested.
If the employer does not agree to collective bargaining, the employees can file a petition with the PLRB stating 30% of the workforce wants to form a union. The board will investigate, and if it is appropriate, the PLRB can order the election.
Once the PLRB approves the election, a notice for the election time and place is posted.
The vote will take place by secret ballot, and a majority of the workers need to vote yes to form a union in the workplace.
Even though the law allows workers to join and form a union, there is usually considerable pushback from management in almost all union organizing campaigns. The Economic Policy Institute reported that companies spend millions of dollars on anti-union law firms to stop their employees from union organizing. Employers post anti-union signs in the workplace and have management talk to employees and tell them they do not form a union.
Staff at the news organization Fusion faced pushback from their employer when organizing to join the Writers Guild of America Union. Management sent a letter to employees, discouraging them from unionizing. Fusion staff did not give up; instead, they continued to organize and held meetings with staff to answer questions they had. Fusion staff kept fighting for a union, and when they held a vote, over 90 % of eligible staff voted yes.
When workers join together and decide to form a union, they vote for a seat at the table. They are demanding better working conditions, including benefits, a salary increase, and safer working conditions. Unionizing gives workers a voice. Through labor-management meetings, they can discuss solutions to problems that arise in the workplace. A campaign to unionize a worksite is not an easy task. Management would not pay millions of dollars to silence union campaigns if collective bargaining wasn't powerful. Employees are stronger together, and a union campaign is hard work, but it is worth it.
The first step to forming a union is discussing the benefits of collective bargaining with your co-workers. Make sure you do not discuss unionizing on work time. It is best to have these discussions on breaks and outside work time. You can reach out to a union organizer to help get started. You can fill out this confidential form, and one of our union organizers will reach out to you. You can also email us at [email protected] or call us at 717-635-6729.
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How Nonprofit Workers Benefit from Unionizing
Nonprofit organizations provide essential services to vulnerable populations across the country, such as homeless people, families in crisis, and people with disabilities. These public servants are passionate and genuinely care about their work. However, unmanageable caseloads, challenging working conditions, and a growing workload and low wages can diminish morale, lead to burnout, and contribute to high staff turnover rates. Indeed, low wages and high caseloads are two of the top five reasons people quit nonprofit jobs.
However, unionized nonprofit workers have the opportunity to improve their working conditions through the collective bargaining process. Unionized workers can negotiate and fight for pay raises, vacation time, and other improvements. For example:
In 2019, SEIU Local 668 members bargained a four-year contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that included a 16.75 % pay increase over four years. Over the summer, union leaders also negotiated paid paternal family leave for public sector workers, such as social workers and case managers.
Members of SEIU Local 1984 were dealing with staffing shortages at the state hospital in New Hampshire. They bargained for a temporary wage increase for mental health workers at the state hospital. When social service workers are part of a union, they see the difference they can make in their workplace.
Staff at the Economic Policy Institute organized and voted to be part of the Nonprofit Employees Union. In an opinion piece written for the Hill, EPI staff said “Having a union also allows for greater problem-solving capacity and creates a collaborative culture. EPI’s staff is passionate about our workplace and interested in continually improving it.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonprofit organizations make up 15.6 % of Pennsylvania’s private sector workforce. As the nonprofit sector continues to grow across the country, workers continue to join unions and bargain for benefits and a seat at the table. These workers realize that collective bargaining gives nonprofit workers a voice and help them continue serving the community with vital services.
For decades, unions have been at the forefront of advocacy for workers and the communities they serve. If you work for a non-profit organization in Pennsylvania and would like more information about forming a union at your workplace, please fill out this form. An SEIU Local 668 organizer will be in touch with you.
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How the Pandemic Has Intensified Union Fights for Worker Safety
The labor movement is built on collective action to fight for worker rights. The 40-hour work week, paid holidays, and overtime laws, among other benefits many of us now take for granted, were not handed to workers from generous employers. They were enshrined in law because working people fought tirelessly for them. And now, with COVID-19 laying bare how precarious life is for many American workers, a strong labor movement is essential.
Union members continue to demand stronger workplace safety measures be put in place for all workers, including calling out the federal government for lapses in OSHA'S regulatory oversight, demanding more personal protective equipment be provided to frontline workers, and fighting for hazard pay. Unions such as SEIU Local 668 and AFSCME District Council 13 have been fighting to ensure Pennsylvania public workers receive OSHA protections, as nearly half of all public workers in the U.S. lack those protections.
Unionized workers across the country are also fighting for COVID-19 safety protocols in the workplace, such as AFSCME Council 28, which represents public employees in Washington state. At the onset of the pandemic, members proactively bargained for additional COVID-19 protections. They won paid quarantine leave, telework for state employees, and health screenings for employees who work in a congregated care setting. And in Pennsylvania, SEIU Local 668 members negotiated telework and staggered shifts for welfare caseworkers across the state.
When members use their union to make demands of management, they’re more likely to win. And because of the labor laws union members have fought so hard for, union members are more likely to speak up. One recent study, comparing the number of workplace safety complaints filed with federal and state agencies in unionized and non-unionized worksites, found unionized worksites 30% more likely to have health and safety inspections.
The pandemic has provided a stark illustration that many essential employees can’t simply rely on their employers’ good graces or the government’s rapid action to keep them safe. Being part of a union empowers workers to speak up, and gives them the tools to fight for a safer workplace.
People have been joining unions and fighting for worker protections for decades, not just in a Pandemic. If you are a social service worker in Pennsylvania, you have the right to form a union and fight for potentially life-saving health and safety policies at your worksite. For more information on union organizing, please complete this form, and an organizer from SEIU Local 668 will contact you.
Why Public Sector Workers Are on the Frontlines of the Fight for Federal Funding
Throughout the pandemic, state and local governments have been facing significant budget deficits due to declining tax revenues fueled by high unemployment and business slowdowns. With the majority of CARES Act money spent, without additional federal funding, state and local government agencies will be forced to lay off staff. Not only will mass government layoffs depress regional economic activity and state and local government tax revenue, but such layoffs will necessitate cuts in services to children, seniors, the impoverished, and the differently-abled.
As Congress has debated additional stimulus relief, public sector workers have been advocating for additional federal support to state and local governments. Case managers, welfare caseworkers, social workers, and childcare workers, among others, have been on the frontlines of this fight because they know firsthand how budget shortfalls impact the people they serve. These essential workers provide healthcare in state-run congregated care settings, process a record number of unemployment claims, and help families obtain crucial benefits such as supplemental food assistance, among other vital public services.
The Pennsylvania Unemployment Office’s have seen a record number of claims due people being laid off due to COVID-19. “The federal government needs to step in and provide funding to the state government.” Said Shawn Domenico, Claims Examiner for PA. Unemployment Office. “Otherwise unemployed people will suffer because the state is not bringing in adequate revenue to support the amount of unemployment claims”
And, informed by their own experiences as public servants, they’ve passionately fought for greater funding. Workers have been calling for essential worker's safety protocols, employment, and pension protection, adequate funding for state and local governments, expanding health insurance, and building infrastructure. In June, workers across the country united and held caravans demanding support for economic and racial justice. And in Pennsylvania, unions representing public sector members like AFSCME and SEIU Local 668, have been holding virtual events to advocate for greater federal funding.
Unions have been at the forefront advocating for greater public services funding for decades, not just during the pandemic. They've also fought hard for better wages, benefits, and protections for public sector workers. If you're working in Pennsylvania's social services and want more information on starting a union, please complete this form.
SEIU Local 668 member and social worker at SCI Albion Tammy Jo Rodgers shares with us the union difference: how her union has improved her work life and that of her colleagues.
Interested in forming a union at your workplace? Contact us at 717-635-6729 today.
Experience the union difference for yourself. Contact us today to start the process of forming a union at your workplace. Call us at 717-635-6729. #joinaunion #socialworkers
Learn more about joining a union by contacting us today using this form or calling us at 717-635-6729. #joinaunion #socialworkers
Join thousands of human and social services workers across Pennsylvania who are fighting to improve the profession. Contact us today!. #joinaunion #seiu668
Our members, Pennsylvania human and social services workers, run our union and lead the charge for better rights, wages, and benefits for all our members. Want to learn more, click here or call us at 717-635-6729. #joinaunion
We’ve been on the front lines of making sure that Pennsylvania’s public employers are protecting workers. How can we help you work in a safe environment? Learn more by contacting us. #joinaunion #socialworkers
We exist to #ProtectAllWorkers. And we’ll help you fight for a safer workplace, better wages and healthcare, and stronger worker rights. Join us!. Call us at 717-635-6729. #joinaunion #socialworkers