Press briefing on planned strike at Swedish

MEDIA ADVISORY:
Jan. 16, 2020

CONTACT:
Amy Clark
amyc@seiu1199nw.org
425.306.2061

PRESS BRIEFING ON PLANNED STRIKE OF 8,000 CAREGIVERS AT SWEDISH MEDICAL CENTER
Nurses and healthcare workers to discuss patient safety, staffing concerns behind
planned Jan. 28-30 strike

WHO: Nurses and healthcare workers from SEIU Healthcare 1199NW at Swedish Medical Center.

WHAT: Briefing for the media on delivery of 10-day notice of intent to strike at Swedish-Providence.

WHEN: Friday, Jan. 17, 12 noon

WHERE: SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Strike Headquarters.

SEATTLE—In a roundtable briefing on Friday, nurses and caregivers of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW at Swedish-Providence will announce delivery of a 10-day notice of intent to strike and share their experiences of patient safety issues at Swedish.

After careful consideration of every proposal exchanged between Swedish-Providence management and nurses and healthcare workers, the bargaining team of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW has concluded that the parties are too far apart. Workers intend to strike January 28-30 if proposals adequately addressing patient safety and staffing levels are not forthcoming.

Since bargaining began in April, nurses and caregivers have presented management with a robust package of proposals that lay out a roadmap for success in safe staffing, workplace safety, recruitment and retention, racial equity and inclusion for all, and providing for the needs of environmental service workers, social workers, counselors and caregivers who provide standby and call.

Caregivers believe they have provided management every opportunity to do what’s right, but that management continues to prioritize profits over patient care. In order to hold Providence accountable for its continued unfair labor practices such as the unlawful termination of team members for protected union activity, nurses and healthcare workers are firmly united together to sound the alarm about unsafe practices at Swedish-Providence.

Healthcare workers from SEIU Healthcare 1199NW are unified in their intent to strike at Swedish-Providence beginning January 28. Caregivers are taking on a multi-state system with a corporate-wide strategy to cut benefits for health care workers. Providence is a $24 billion corporation that sits on an $11 billion cash reserve. The corporation can afford to provide good benefits and wages to the nurses and healthcare workers it employs and should start treating its employees fairly. When employees of Providence are treated fairly, patient care and safety will improve.

###

SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 30,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.