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California Universities Scrap Hospital Privatization
After a two-year campaign by UPTE/CWA Local 9119, District 9 and the union's Public and Health Care Workers Sector, San Francisco is getting its community hospital back, the local is regaining 200 health care members, and 300 administrative employees are once again likely candidates for CWA representation.
Stanford University President Gerhard Casper pulled the plug on UCSF Stanford Health Care on Oct. 28. In a letter to University of California President Richard Atkinson, Casper said the merger of the UCSF Medical Center and Stanford University Hospital into a private company had failed, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. He called for the two universities to "begin a process of unwinding the current venture."
When the merger was finalized in November 1997, Local 9119 lost about 400 members to layoffs. With support from District 9 and the Public and Health Care Workers Sector, the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) put together a strong coalition of unions and community groups, lobbied the UC Board of Regents and the general public and held frequent mobilization activities against the merger (see page 12, October 1999 CWA News.)
"Only by working with our public employee members were we able to stop this devastating merger," said CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler.
More than 200 health care workers who had come under Local 9119's collective bargaining agreement with UCSF were no longer covered as employees of the private corporation.
"We should get them back," said CWA Representative Libby Sayre, who works closely with the local. She added that 300 administrative workers the local planned to organize should also be returned to UCSF, where CWA is the dominant union and logical choice for representation.
Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers, applauded the local's victory. "By returning the UCSF medical system to the university, it will again be accountable to the community it serves," he said. "The university's attempt to give away this hospital system - and the implications for employees - are not acceptable."
Local 9119 President Jelger Kalmijn, praised the members of his local and supporters for their sustained mobilization. "This is a huge victory for us, and a stinging rebuke of the university's privatization policy," he said.
Stanford University President Gerhard Casper pulled the plug on UCSF Stanford Health Care on Oct. 28. In a letter to University of California President Richard Atkinson, Casper said the merger of the UCSF Medical Center and Stanford University Hospital into a private company had failed, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. He called for the two universities to "begin a process of unwinding the current venture."
When the merger was finalized in November 1997, Local 9119 lost about 400 members to layoffs. With support from District 9 and the Public and Health Care Workers Sector, the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) put together a strong coalition of unions and community groups, lobbied the UC Board of Regents and the general public and held frequent mobilization activities against the merger (see page 12, October 1999 CWA News.)
"Only by working with our public employee members were we able to stop this devastating merger," said CWA District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler.
More than 200 health care workers who had come under Local 9119's collective bargaining agreement with UCSF were no longer covered as employees of the private corporation.
"We should get them back," said CWA Representative Libby Sayre, who works closely with the local. She added that 300 administrative workers the local planned to organize should also be returned to UCSF, where CWA is the dominant union and logical choice for representation.
Brooks Sunkett, CWA vice president for public and health care workers, applauded the local's victory. "By returning the UCSF medical system to the university, it will again be accountable to the community it serves," he said. "The university's attempt to give away this hospital system - and the implications for employees - are not acceptable."
Local 9119 President Jelger Kalmijn, praised the members of his local and supporters for their sustained mobilization. "This is a huge victory for us, and a stinging rebuke of the university's privatization policy," he said.