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Standing up for Care at the Supreme Court

2012-03-29T21:10:00Z

1199 members from Baltimore and D.C. rallied on March 27 with hundreds of their SEIU brothers and sisters at the Supreme Court to stand up for the Affordable Care Act.

Justices were hearing oral arguments on whether key provisions of President Obama’s landmark healthcare reform law are legal. In particular, the legal challenge focuses on the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that individuals purchase health insurance by 2014 or face a fine.

“We all need healthcare at some point in our lives,” explained Evelyn Barber, an 1199 member and radiology technician at United Medical Center in Washington, D.C. “We all pay for uncompensated care. Healthcare reform will help make our system of coverage cheaper and will keep people healthier and safer. ”

The Tax Break for People Who Deserve One

2012-02-26T22:00:00Z

How 1199 is helping members get serious tax refunds

If you’ve been following the Republican presidential race, you might think that the only tax breaks in America are for guys named Mitt who get to park their cash in overseas accounts.

Fortunately, there’s also a tax relief program for people who actually deserve a break. It’s called the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and for years 1199 has been providing free tax-prep services to members who meet the EITC income qualification.

“It’s an amazing program,” said Vondray Little, a Baltimore 1199er who used the union’s EITC tax-prep service for the first time last week.

“I just got back $1,177,” said Little. “They did my taxes for free, and with direct deposit I should have the money in my account by February 9th.”

1199ers Help Keep the Dream Alive in Maryland

2012-01-18T21:48:00Z

On January 16th, Martin Luther King Day, hundreds of Maryland 1199ers rallied with union members and progressives from across the state at the capitol in Annapolis and called on elected leaders to promote legislation that lives up to the vision of Dr. King.

With Maryland’s 2012 legislative session just getting underway, rally speakers, including 1199 President George Gresham, linked Dr. King’s vision with upcoming legislation such as the DREAM Act benefiting immigrant students and the Marriage Equality bill benefiting all couples.

President Gresham both inspired and challenged the crowd with his remarks: “We’re here today to give honor to Dr. King and the dream that he had. The question is, are we going to dream the dream? Or are we going to live the dream?”

Occupy Baltimore & DC and 1199: We Are All the 99 Percent

2011-11-03T21:16:00Z

The delegates of 1199SEIU’s Maryland/DC region voted unanimously on October 19 to support Occupy Baltimore and Occupy DC, the local outposts of the global movement launched on Wall Street last month.

While some have complained that the movement lacks a clear message, representatives from the two Occupy groups stated it plainly, beginning their presentation to the delegates with a group chant of “We are the 99 percent!” Few slogans better capture the challenge confronting American workers today.

After Hurricane Irene, Baltimore 1199er brings light to elderly residents in the dark

2011-09-02T17:48:26Z

When Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc along the east coast last weekend, thousands of people lost electricity for days. Elderly residents at the Springwell Senior Living Community in Baltimore were hit especially hard. Luckily for them, 1199ers like Carolyn Taylor-Chester were on hand to provide care to residents without power.

Chester picked up extra shifts at the home in order to help the facility compensate for the lack of power. "My co-workers and I have been picking up extra shifts and doing the best we can to help out our residents."

Baltimore Catholic Charities Betraying Its Values in St. Elizabeth’s Contract Talks

2011-07-14T18:36:48Z

Catholic Charities of Baltimore – the owner of St. Elizabeth’s nursing home – says its values are respect, service, dignity, compassion and justice. But in ongoing contract talks with 1199 caregivers, Catholic Charities is not living up to those values

On June 30, St. Elizabeth’s 1199ers, with support from their union brothers and sisters from nearby facilities, staged a spirited informational picket in front of the home, bringing attention to the facility’s contract crisis and the threat to resident care.

Summit Park Workers Unite to Win a Contract

2011-06-10T21:22:55Z

With help from their 1199SEIU brothers and sisters, workers at Summit Park have won a contract after a year-long fight for better wages and better working conditions.

The contract was settled shortly after workers showed a united front during the second of two informational pickets. The picket held on May 4^th revealed to the community that the facility had been contaminated with asbestos and garnered coverage in the Catonsville Times and the Catonsville Patch.

Since the picket, management at Summit Park has been working with 1199 to ensure that the asbestos is being safely removed from the facility.

The new contract includes a number of significant victories for the workers:

For the first time, Summit Park workers will be allowed to take one personal day.
The workers will retroactive pay dating back to January 2011.
A 6 percent wage increase will be applied over 3 years.

According to 1199 Vice President Antoinette Turner, “It is so inspiring to see workers come together to achieve these victories. During these tough economic times, workers want a solid pay increase and retroactive pay, and they got those things because of their efforts.”

According to Donta Marshall, a GNA at the home and an 1199 delegate, “Winning this contract means so much to us because our voice has been heard and it shows that there is really power in numbers.” She adds, “In this economy, it really is a blessing to earn a decent wage increase and receive our retroactive pay – I know it will go a long way for me in covering my day-to-day expenses.”

Mayor’s Hard Work for a Healthy Baltimore Wins Endorsement from 1199’s Healthcare Workers

2011-05-19T22:01:04Z

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake was joined by close to one hundred healthcare workers from across Baltimore at the historic Eubie Blake Cultural Center to receive their endorsement in the race for Baltimore City Mayor. Surrounded by Maryland General Hospital workers in scrubs and Ravenwood Nursing Home workers in SEIU purple, a smiling Rawlings-Blake said she planned to ride the "purple tide" to victory.

"Our members have voted to endorse Stephanie Rawlings-Blake because no one has worked harder to build a healthy Baltimore," said John Reid, executive vice president of 1199SEIU, Baltimore’s healthcare union. "As a city council member, as council president and now as mayor, she’s fought tirelessly for quality healthcare - and for quality healthcare jobs. By helping caregivers to win a voice for our patients and a better life for our families, she’s helping to improve the quality of life for everyone in Baltimore."

Summit Park Picket Exposes Asbestos Crisis

2011-05-06T20:53:40Z

If you found asbestos in a home, wouldn’t you tell the people who live there right away? Not if you’re management at Summit Park nursing home in Catonsville.

Officials at the Baltimore County facility had known since at least January there was asbestos in the home, but they kept the news from Summit Park’s residents and 1199 caregivers until late March.

“It’s scary,” said Sally Hill, a geriatric nursing assistant (GNA) and 38- year veteran of Summit Park. “It makes you wonder what else they’ve been hiding.”

On May 5th, Summit Park’s 1199ers made sure the whole community knew about the asbestos crisis, staging a spirited informational picket in front of the home. We brought attention to the asbestos controversy and to management’s year-long refusal to settle a fair contract.

Maryland’s Millionaires Meet their Match

2011-03-25T21:41:07Z

1199 members traveled to Annapolis Thursday for our annual legislative action day and took some time out for a special visit to the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber, Maryland’s big business lobby, has been pressing an all-too-familiar agenda in the state capital: tax breaks for corporations and the rich, healthcare and education cuts for everyone else.

But 1199 members helped beat back that agenda in Maryland during last fall’s elections, and we showed the Chamber yesterday that we’ve got the strength to do it again. Click here to see pictures from the rally on our Facebook page.