One hundred and twenty-five trades and supply chain workers at UChicago Medicine (UCM), represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, ended their strike on Saturday, July 20, after six days of picketing.
SEIU Local 73 had been in negotiations with UCM for more than six months without reaching an agreement. Their demands included wage increases to match inflation, more affordable health insurance, and improved benefits. The union had also filed multiple unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), including surveillance of union activity, canceling bargaining in retaliation for concerted activity, and failure to provide information relevant to bargaining.
In a press release, the union announced the new three-year contract, which offers year over year pay raises of 5 percent, 3 percent, and 3 percent with an $800 bonus; “improvements in shift differentials;” and “stronger language on holidays, bereavement, and Advancement to Operating Engineer.” The contract makes no progress on healthcare costs or quotas for supply chain workers, which were some of the union’s other main demands. According to union officials, a previous proposal extended to the union on Friday, July 12 had allocated 2.1 million dollars for wages but was criticized by union leaders for not addressing other key demands.
“This is the best contract I’ve seen in my time here at the hospital,” painter Justin Babitsch said in the SEIU press release.
Enterprise Facilities Operations and Environmental Health & Safety Vice President Judd Johnson and Supply Chain and Support Services Senior Vice President Eric Tritch addressed the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC), Biological Sciences Division, and Ingalls Community in a communication on Saturday. Johnson and Tritch thanked a federal mediator, SEIU’s bargaining team, and those who negotiated on behalf of the hospital in the communication.
Workers returned to their regularly scheduled shifts on Sunday, July 21 at 7 a.m.
During the six days of the strike, while workers and union officials gathered for rallies, marches, and speeches, UCM hired replacement workers to continue service as normal.
In a statement to the *Maroon* on Wednesday, July 17, UCMC wrote that “This workforce disruption does not impact ongoing patient care and we have engaged experienced replacement workers who are ensuring all our operations continue seamlessly. No one benefits from a strike and we look forward to welcoming this group of nearly 130 employees back after SEIU’s strike concludes.”
“We’re out here because we’re fighting for fair wages, affordable healthcare, discipline policy that makes sense. We’re fighting for the things that they deserve. They’re the people that make sure the supplies run through this facility, that the boilers stay running, that the doors stay working, that this whole entire hospital stays moving and making sure that they can provide the best patient care,” SEIU Local 73 Executive Vice President Jeff Howard said during a Monday press conference.
At a Solidarity Rally on Tuesday, July 16, workers union officials gathered in what they called a “protest plaza”—an area outside of Mitchell Hospital enclosed within plastic crowd control barriers—and chanted phrases like “Who are we? 73!” and “U. of C., you can’t hide, we can see your evil side.” The crowd included workers and union officials, along with some nurses and doctors from UCM.
The strike was met with demonstrations of solidarity from other unions on campus, including UChicago Graduate Students United – United Electrical, UChicago Faculty Forward, and National Nurses United. John Hieronymus, a registered nurse at UCM, said that the nurses’ union sent an email to UCM management urging the hospital to listen to SEIU-73’s demands.
“Nurses depend on the work of each and every UChicago trade and supply chain worker that shows up to work. We depend on our painters. We depend on our engineers. And we sure as hell depend on our supply chain workers. Without supplies we cannot provide the kind of care that people travel from all over the world to receive at the University of Chicago,” Hieronymus said.
At the rally, SEIU-73 Executive Vice President Jeff Howard said that strikers had experienced intimidation from management, who had called police on picketing workers and had cooperated with UPS to remove delivery drivers who refused to cross the picket line.
“They’re trying to find any little thing that they can to screw with us and try to get us to not do what we’re doing. And all we’re asking them to do is come in here and negotiate a fair contract, so everyone can get back to work,” Howard said.
On Wednesday, workers were joined by Representative Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.) during a march around campus. They were also joined on the picket line by a giant inflatable “Fat Cat,” intended to symbolize greedy management.
In a press release after the conclusion of the strike, SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer said “We will only get stronger! I’m proud of all of you and this fight is not over. We will continue to build and grow stronger and continue to fight UCMC to get what each of you deserve!”
