Support Native American Health Center Workers Right to Unionize!

Oakland, CA – The vote on whether or not to unionize will take place today on Wednesday November 14, 2007 for Native American Health Center employees. Support is being encouraged for the workers, who are facing much opposition and at times even harassment by upper management in their efforts to unionize. “The workers at Native American health center are facing one of the worst anti-union campaigns we have seen in a long time. This includes supervisors wearing anti-union tee shirts while handing out donuts at the door.“ States Samantha Levens, an active supporter of Indigenous rights of the Local ILWU chapter 6.

As thousands of dollars in lawyer’s fees and allocated Native American Health Center funds is being spent as anti-union organizing material has been distributed to NAHC workers within the workplace over the last few months with slogans such as “Vote Responsibly. Vote No.” Admin employees have also claimed if the “at-will” employees don’t like working there then can always leave as they would if they were unhappy with the working conditions. Many of these employees are active within the Bay Area Indian community and have worked at the community health center for over 20 years. Despite the unfair inequity in their wages,
They strive daily to provide better services for native people---many of who qualify as low income.

As much of NAHC’s funding is being spent, workers are now asking “where is this money coming from? Is Indian Health Service aware and approve of the funding that is being spent in lawyer’s fees and anti-union material to be distributed in our workplace?”

As the efforts to organize a union include transparency with better wages, full benefits, seniority, raises for skill-set and not favoritism, and to have their voice heard, many members of the Bay Area Indian community support the unionizing efforts. Over 100 tribal, community labor and civil rights leaders including Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums support the efforts to build a union at Native American Health Center. Those that supported the union organizing signed a letter stating:

“The Native American Health Center is an important institution in our community that provides a critical service…I support the right of NAHC employees to organize with the union of their choice to collectively voice their concerns, improve their working conditions, and provide input and ideas to strengthen the agency. I urge NAHC to respect the decision of your employees and allow them to organize without interference from management.”

Sarah Guevara whose son is a 3rd generation member to receive patient care at the Native American Health Center stated “As a community member that has been receiving services for the last 25 years, I now take my 3 year old son to Native American Health Center. It’s frustrating to have to wait in the understaffed offices, which leads to decreased patient services,” Sarah and many community and supportive union members joined with NAHC workers on Friday November 9, 2007, as workers of Native American Health Center rallied for the right to unionize. They were met with opposition as higher administration and NAHC employees were vocal in opposing workers rights. They chanted slogans of “Go home, you don’t even work here!” to longtime community members. Current SEIU union members also came to support the organizing efforts as well as current union members holding “No Union” signs. “Why is it if you are a 2nd generation union member, would you come out in opposition of union organizing efforts for heath center employees?” I asked. The union opposition threatened Sarah Guevara that she would be arrested if she stepped over the imaginary picket line.

As a concerned community member, I also participated in the rally, it was disappointing to be told by administration employees to go home. I am part of this community, I was born here, I take my daughter here and I have every right to be here. I came out in support of the community members that have worked at Native American Health Center for over 20 years. These are highly respected people in our community and it is insulting to know that people of my age that work within the health center administration are telling workers “they are not educated enough to make a decision to unionize”. Native American Health Center organizing committee members stated, “By forming a union we NAHC employees for the first time, will be able to bargain for benefits, working conditions and respect. We’ll be able to positively impact our lives and our community,” Thier slogan is "Our Voice,Our Patients, Our Community!"