On July 20, two large groups of employees at Cooley Dickinson Hospital will get to vote on whether or not they want union representation. A simple majority of those who choose to vote will decide this outcome
As a 10-year employee of the hospital, I feel a union would be detrimental to the organization, and thus detrimental to its employees. There is a place for unions; I simply do not feel this is one of them. We are not talking about a for-profit company with stockholders and high-level executives making millions. This is a non-profit with all of its financials available on mass.gov.
The most recent numbers show the hospital with a profit of $4.3 million (it requires $5 million to qualify for the best borrowing rates) and a ratio of 0.7 (the State report explains a 1.0 means the hospital can meet its current liabilities.)
While I certainly don’t agree with every executive decision I see, I do think the current administration does a fairly decent job of balancing the needs of its employees with the needs of its patients against the backdrop of a hostile economic environment. Union representation will not increase revenues, nor will it lower costs. The hospital has given raises of 2 percent over the last few years. I personally don’t feel the need to donate that 2 percent of my pay to union employee salaries and benefits.
Unions negotiate contracts, with “negotiate” being the key word. There is give and take involved in reaching an agreement. The union will promise the world to get a foot in the door. I urge my fellow employees to carefully consider all the possibilities which will hopefully lead them to the same conclusion I have reached: that in this scenario a union will be detrimental overall.
Marc Rouillard
Ludlow