Meriter Service & Support Workers Informational Picket

media release: SEIU Wisconsin Meriter Service & Support workers which includes Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Environmental Services (EVS), Food & Nutrition, Obstetrics Technicians, Operating Room Aides and Engineering, will hold an informational picket at Meriter Hospital on May 9, 2024. This escalation comes after nearly three months of bargaining to improve the standards of the lowest paid hospital employees.

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“Meriter is an indispensable part of our Madison community, recording more births than any other hospital in Wisconsin with about 5,000 this past year. As the pandemic demonstrated, healthcare workers are the key to keeping each of us healthy, as well as to the survival of a community. Our beloved city and state cannot thrive without us–the people who make Meriter and other hospitals–work. We deserve better pay and respect for the work we do.” said Nickey Allain, SEIU Wisconsin member and obstetrics technician at Meriter. 

While healthcare workers have faced untold trauma and burnout over the last few years, many healthcare non-profits have made big profits. In 2022, Meriter made nearly $59 million in profits. Although the pandemic has driven many Service & Support workers out of their jobs and even away from healthcare altogether, it’s pushed those who stayed to the breaking point. They are chronically understaffed and the pay for the lowest paid workers in Service & Support is not enough to recruit and retain quality employees.

Management is offering the Service and Support workers, the lowest paid unit, a little over 4% wage increase each year for the next two years and is refusing to move further. Meanwhile, the top 10 Meriter managers on average receive 17% wage increases. 

“This picket is yet another example of our steadfast commitment to fair wages and treating our frontline roles with the seriousness they deserve,” said Brenda Frary, vice president of Healthcare for SEIU Wisconsin and a cook at Meriter.

Community members and organizations like the South-Central Federation of Labor stand in solidarity with the Service & Support workers at Meriter in their fight for a fair contract to improve care.