People’s Democratic Club resolution supports striking engineers

Union engineers at four of Dignity Health’s Bay Area facilities had been working without a contract for over two years and continue to protest substandard wages and benefits and the threat of reduced hours. Dominican employs 15 of these operating engineers.

On Oct. 1, engineers at all four hospitals refused Dignity’s “last, best and final” offer leading to the walk out. The offer called for a zero percent pay hike, though Dignity’s fiscal year revenues ballooned to $10.5 billion, and its CEO’s annual compensation came to $5.1 million. The club’s resolution urges Dignity to resolve the matter promptly through binding arbitration.

According to club chair Nancy Abby, strikers enjoy strong support from passers-by, but she hopes more people will stand with them.

“These workers are critical for the patients, doctors and nurses at these hospitals,” she said. “To continue without them is simply bad medicine.”

Issued December 4, 2013.


Resolution in Support of Operating Engineers Local 39 in Dispute with Dignity Health

WHEREAS, the members of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39 have been on strike at Dignity Health's St. Francis, St. Mary's, Sequoia and Dominican facilities to protest substandard wages and benefits since October 1, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Dignity Health has shown poor faith in this dispute, attempting to curtail Local 39's picketing, filing a Complaint in the San Mateo County Superior Court and charges with the National Labor Relations Board, attempting to remove Chief Engineers of Local 39 from the bargaining unit, and other anti-worker actions; and

WHERAS, Dignity's continued intransigence on this labor dispute is putting their patients' health at risk, as many patients and other professionals will not cross the picket line;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party supports its brothers and sisters of Local 39 and their strike for equitable and fair compensation at Dignity Health facilities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Democratic Party asks the management of Dignity Health to resolve this matter swiftly by submitting to binding arbitration, as proposed by Local 39, and acting in a manner that is befitting a company that has adopted the word "dignity" as part of its moniker.

http://www.pdclub.org/blog:pdclub/article/id/1930178