MADISON, Wis. — We value all our team members and their work throughout the pandemic. We continue to provide all team members with compensation and benefit programs that are in line with, if not leading, the market, including ample time off, robust wellness programs and free mental health support. We also offer support options and career growth programs specifically for employees who identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of color.
We met recently with SEIU to discuss additional earned time for service and support union members. When we last bargained a collective bargaining agreement with the service and support unit, SEIU and UnityPoint Health – Meriter agreed upon the wages and benefits to be paid to the represented team members through March 6, 2022. For long-time employees, this includes up to seven weeks paid time off earned each year. We are open to considering a change in these jointly agreed upon benefits and continuing the conversation during the next negotiations for a successor agreement, as is standard practice in union environments.
Until negotiations begin, we will continue to follow our mutually agreed upon contract in good faith, and we urge SEIU to do the same. Unfortunately, since early 2021 SEIU has, on numerous occasions, chosen not to follow our agreed upon contract and processes, including the required notifications when SEIU leadership comes on hospital premises, following our visitor registration processes and adhering to our well-established COVID-19 protocols. We continue to remind SEIU of its obligations under the contract and hope going forward the SEIU will follow all our agreed upon contract and safety policies.
