Thirty-five USW members in Hibbing, Minn., who work as home care and hospice workers at Fairview Range Medical Center, last month ratified their first union contract, lasting through 11 grueling months of bargaining and overcoming a robust anti-union campaign.
The group, which includes registered nurses, physical therapists, social workers, administrative assistants, home health aides, licensed practical nurses, workers in scheduling and billing, and more, began organizing in February of 2023 in the wake of the pandemic.
Zach Lahti, a Registered Nurse at the facility, said that employee morale deteriorated as management made unilateral changes to workers’ job duties and responsibilities during that turbulent time.
Lahti also said that the pandemic led to other employers in the region raising wages and providing extra incentives. “When we looked at our pay compared to other facilities in our area, we realized how far we had fallen behind,” he said.
In addition to maintaining current practices and working conditions, such as scheduling flexibility, Lahti is most proud of the across-the-board wage increases he and his colleagues secured.
“We were able to raise wages for people pretty significantly, especially our longevity employees. Over a twenty-year period, they really fell behind, but working with the company we developed a plan over the life of the first contract to get people to where they should be,” Lahti said.
Now, Lahti and his fellow members are looking forward to enjoying the benefits of a first contract.
“I’m so proud of how we persevered and stuck this out,” Lahti said. “It’s been such a great accomplishment for us, and we’re looking forward to having our contract in place so our members have a voice in their jobs.”
The home care and hospice workers at Fairview Range Medical Center are members of amalgamated Local 9349.