Archive for category: Facts Matter. You Matter.

FICTION: Sharp is trying to use scare tactics with their employees, stoking fear about paying union dues.

FACT: Sharp has stated the truth from the outset. We have observed that SEIU-UHW typically charges members 2% of their pay for dues, and the union has confirmed that this is true in their most recent communications. That means if you make $30/hour, you would be giving the union $3,744 over the course of a three-year contract, which translates into millions of dollars to the union when factoring in all eligible employees.

As a reminder, SEIU-UHW reported in 2022 that it received nearly $240 million in dues revenues from worker-members and spent $167 million on administration, overhead, employee salaries and benefits and organizing new members.

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FICTION:  SEIU-UHW claims that Sharp management is saying that SEIU-UHW members at Sharp Grossmont Hospital are already paying union dues.

FACT:  Sharp management has never made that statement. The union claims/asserts that Sharp Grossmont and Sharp HospiceCare union members are not yet paying dues and will not collect dues until a labor contract is ratified. However, as soon as a labor contract is ratified, the union will start taking away 2% of whatever pay increases they negotiate in the contract in the form of dues. This isn’t Sharp making things up, this is the union’s own statements proving the accuracy of the information we have provided our team members.

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FICTION:  Employees will have more flexibility with workplace issues such as scheduling, staffing and workloads if they join the union.

FACT:  Sharp and our team members enjoy flexibility in the workplace already without any third part intervention. Unions negotiate with employers over terms in a labor contract that define what is or is not permitted in the workplace; these provisions often prevent and/or delay team members and supervisors from working together to quickly solve issues because the union wants to be – or even insists on being – involved. Introducing a union that insists on intervening in the Sharp-team member relationship will not create flexibility; quite the opposite.

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FICTION: Sharp does not invest in its employees.

FACT: Over the past two fiscal years, Sharp has made significant investments in staff wages, including a 5% across-the-board (ATB) increase for all staff in October 2022; and a 3.5% ATB increase for all non-represented staff last fall. These and other wage increases represent an investment of more than $150 million in staff compensation since FY2022. These and other wage increases represent an investment of more than $150 million in staff compensation since FY2022.

Remember, all eligible employees are allowed to vote — even without a union card — and all are encouraged to cast their vote next week during the indicated times below. Voting is only permitted to be in person for this election (no texting votes and no online voting permitted), so please show up – be heard – and vote!

• Voting Dates and Times
  • Tuesday, July 16: 6 to 9 am, 11 am to 2 pm, 6 to 8 pm
  • Wednesday, July 17: 6 to 8 am, 11 am to 2 pm, 6 to 8 pm
  • Thursday, July 18: 6 to 8 am, 11 am to 2 pm
•  Place
  • Knollwood Conference Rooms C and D

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.

FICTION: If you did not sign a union card, then you cannot vote in the upcoming election.

FACT: Some employees report they’ve been told by union representatives that they would only be allowed to vote in the July 16-18 election if they signed a union card. This isn’t true! Signing a union card is irrelevant when it comes to voter eligibility and determining who gets to vote on whether or not to form a union at the Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus. What is relevant is your voice. All eligible employees are allowed to vote, and all are encouraged to cast their vote during the indicated times below. Voting is only permitted to be in person for this election, so please show up – be heard – and vote!

• Dates and Times
  • Tuesday, July 16:  6 to 9 am, 11 am to 2 pm, 6 to 8 pm
  • Wednesday, July 17:  6 to 8 am, 11 am to 2 pm, 6 to 8 pm
  • Thursday, July 18:  6 to 8 am, 11 am to 2 pm
•  Place
  • Knollwood Conference Rooms C and D

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.

FICTION: The union says Sharp is punishing employees in recently formed bargaining units by not giving them pay adjustments while giving increases to non-bargaining unit employees.

FACT: This is not true and Sharp is not punishing our team members. SEIU-UHW is well aware that once a union is certified, “status quo” is triggered between the parties until a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is reached. During status quo, items such as employee wage rates, are subject to negotiation between the parties and generally will not be adjusted until rates are agreed upon in a CBA or an exception applies.

One such exception is when pay is legally mandated for an increase, such as what recently occurred at Sharp with the early implementation of SB 525, which raised the minimum wage for all Sharp employees, regardless of bargaining unit membership. Another exception could arise in emergent adverse patient care situations; however, the parties would still be required to negotiate over the wage rates after the employer implements the needed adjustments.

The parties have been negotiating wages for many months and Sharp has made several proposals to date that the union has rejected. We look forward to continue bargaining in good faith to arrive at a contract for the recently formed units at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp HospiceCare and Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. The union has delayed that process by engaging in regressive bargaining and waiting nearly six months after negotiations started to introduce their initial economic proposal.

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.

FICTION: Sharp HealthCare provides the union with the home addresses of employees to allow union representatives to make unannounced visits to employee homes to talk about union membership and voting intentions.

FACT: Once a petition is filed and the NLRB has approved an election to be held, Sharp is legally required to provide the names, addresses and phone numbers to the union of all employees eligible to vote. It’s important to know that Sharp firmly believes employees have the right to privacy – where you work and where you live – and you do not have to speak with uninvited visitors to your home.

We have been receiving questions from concerned employees about union representatives who made surprise visits to their homes to ask about their thoughts on union membership and whether or not they plan to vote for the union. These surprise visitors may even claim that you can’t vote in the upcoming election if you don’t speak with them, which simply is not true. Employees are under no obligation to speak to any representative, let alone answer questions, if they so choose, and each eligible voter will be given the opportunity to vote in person. It is your right. It is also your right to be free from intimidation. If you feel you’re being harassed by anyone, whether it’s a representative from the union or Sharp, you can call the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) San Diego Region Office at  (619) 557-6184 to make a report.

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.

FICTION: In online ads, SEIU-UHW claims that “with hundreds of millions in donations, Sharp can afford to end the staffing crisis by investing in caregivers.”

FACT: There is no “staffing crisis” at Sharp. This oft-repeated assertion by SEIU is simply not an accurate assessment of the facts. Like every hospital, we have recruitment opportunities and Sharp has an active recruitment campaign to fill open positions. In fact, we are proud to have an industry-enviable low-turnover rate.

Sharp does rely upon the incredible generosity of members of our community and private benefactors to achieve many of our objectives. Private and employee donations are vital to Sharp to help fund programs, services and construction of facilities because these and other expenses are growing at a faster rate than the revenues we receive from providing patient care. Recent projects, such as the seven-story Ocean View Tower at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, and current projects (totaling nearly $2 billion), including the expansion of emergency and intensive care services at Sharp Coronado Hospital, the Sharp Grossmont Hospital Neuroscience Center, the Metro Modernization project on the Sharp Memorial campus and the Moore Mountainview Hospice Home that just broke ground in Poway, to name a few, all rely on generous donations from members of our community.

In contrast, SEIU reported in 2022 that it received nearly $240 million in dues revenues from worker-members and spent $167 million on administration, overhead, employee salaries and benefits and organizing new members.

Facts matter. You matter.

Get all the facts about collective bargaining and unionization at sharpstayinformed.