Service and technical workers at Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Mont., part of Renton, Wash.-based Providence, voted 446-102 on Aug. 5 to be represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, CBS affiliate KPAX reported.
The union said in a Facebook post that as a result of the vote, more than 680 workers at the hospital may join SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, which represents about 38,000 members. The bargaining unit includes certified nursing assistants, environmental services staff, emergency medicine technicians, radiology technologists, surgical technicians and pharmacy technicians, according to KPAX.
“I chose healthcare because I want to take care of people, and I want to be a part of the community, and I think this union is gonna let me do that more,” Mishana Truitt, a surgical assistant at the hospital, told KPAX. Ms. Truitt said organizing took more than a year.
Providence said it supports workers’ right to choose whether to join a union and is committed to a workplace grounded in dignity, open dialogue and mutual respect.
“We believe the best outcomes for caregivers, patients, and communities are achieved through direct relationships and transparent communication, while recognizing that caregivers may choose third-party representation by a labor union,” the health system said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “We respect those decisions and have a long history of working together with unions that caregivers have chosen to represent them.”
The union said it will move to bargaining for a first contract.
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