SEIU Healthcare MN
For Immediate Release
Contact: Josh Keller, jkeller@seiumn.org
Frontline Workers at Rainbow Health Vote Overwhelmingly to Form Union with SEIU Healthcare MN & IA In Fight for Safety, Stability, and Respect
95% support in election ballots counted Wednesday
Minneapolis – Workers at Rainbow Health, an AIDS Service Organization in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota that works with Minnesotans living with HIV, voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa today as votes were counted in their National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election.
The votes in the mail ballot election, which began March 9th, were counted Wednesday with 95% of the workers voting supported joining the union.
Andrea Hampel, Housing Specialist at Rainbow Health, shared the excitement on the overwhelming ‘yes’ vote and the steps ahead:
"I’m excited to organize and advocate together with staff for our needs. I‘m excited to bargain for protections and transparency and a better Rainbow Health for our workers and our communities. I feel like our union will bring us closer to the organization's grassroots beginnings, where the workers will have more say in how decisions are made. I know we have a lot of work to do and winning this election has brought us closer to living the phrase, 'We take care of us.'"
The main issues Rainbow Health staff addressed in their push for their union vote include:
- Safety and stability for both staff and clients
- For decisions at work to be made with transparency and for staff to have a voice in decisions
- Equity and Respect
Rainbow Health is staffed by around 60 workers who do jobs such as: HIV education and outreach, housing access, case management, behavioral health, benefits counseling, and so many more invaluable roles serving the needs of their clients and partners toward their goal to end HIV in Minnesota.
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SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa represents healthcare and long term care workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care
