This morning, clinic workers united in SEIU-CCWU joined State Senator Maria Elena Durazo and scores of essential healthcare workers from across California to introduce legislation that would establish the first-in-the-nation statewide minimum wage for healthcare workers. A minimum wage of $25 an hour for healthcare workers in California is critical to addressing the burnout, exhaustion, … Continued
With the December 28th registration deadline passed, tens of thousands of California clinic workers are one step closer to the $1,000 retention bonuses that we fought for and won over the course of this year. Not only were clinic workers instrumental in pushing lawmakers in Sacramento for $70 million in funding for these bonuses, … Continued
The list grows of employers standing with workers! Innercare clinic workers in Imperial and Riverside Counties marched to their bosses’ offices to deliver the open letter asking them to register for their bonuses. One day later, the Innercare CEO emailed employees that they “made sure we signed up on the very first day of registration … Continued
Today, Governor Newsom signed AB 204, providing critical funding to community clinics to retain and recognize community clinic workers. Thanks to an unprecedented partnership and advocacy from eight community clinics and SEIU Community Clinic Workers United, California is dedicating $70 million for retention payments to an estimated 70,000 frontline health care workers at California’s community clinics.
We did it! Our statewide movement of community clinic workers secured retention bonuses for all community clinic workers in California. $1,000 bonuses will be awarded to approximately 70,000 clinic workers across the state.
These retention bonuses recognize our hard work and sacrifice and couldn’t have come at a more critical time as our clinics face a retention crisis.
On August 12, Los Angeles legislators Senator Bob Hertzberg and Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo joined health care workers and community clinic leaders to announce a major milestone in our effort to save community clinics across California from the brink of collapse. Community health centers across California were facing a financial and staffing crisis before the pandemic—then their revenue and workforce were walloped by COVID-19. Clinic budget shortfalls have led to longer wait times and diminished care for patients.
“Since COVID, we have far fewer staff, and more healthcare workers leave community clinics for higher-paying jobs. We are urging lawmakers to help us fix this ongoing problem of not having enough workers and also providing relief to the clinic workers that remain,” said Anselmo Espinoza, a lead medical assistant at Clinica Romero and a member of SEIU 721.
At the rally and press conference, which was held at Clinica Romero in LA, workers, elected officials, and clinic managers called on the Newsom Administration and legislature to commit to $1,000 retention payments. These payments would benefit an estimated 70,000 frontline health care workers at California’s community clinics.