Kaiser Workers' Unsung Win, with Rashad Pritchett and Theresa Myles

Black Work Talk

Rashaad Pritchett and Theresa Mtles of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) join hosts Bianca Cunningham and Jamala Rogers for this episode of Black Work Talk. They delve into the challenges faced by Black healthcare support workers, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rashaad and Theresa recount their experiences of being on the frontlines during the pandemic, tackling fears amongst Black workers as they struggled to perform their duties without proper PPE or safe staffing, lacking proper respect and benefits.

They also discuss SEIU-UHW's monumental healthcare strike in October 2023, which saw participation from 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers across four states. After the strike, the union won a historic contract ratified by over 90% of the membership. This conversation focuses on union organizing for healthcare workers, highlighting the importance of establishing connections with workers and dissecting the tactics which they can use to navigate the landscape of fighting for basic safety in the workplace during the pandemic.

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