“Not a win, not a loss.” That was one union leader’s assessment of last night’s DC City Council vote on the East End Hospital bill. Added another, “We’re healthcare unions but we’re also healthcare advocates and this bill doesn’t solidify quality union jobs or quality healthcare for the residents of Wards 7 and 8.” The Council passed a substitution amendment which bypasses the certificate of need process, and includes provisions requiring Howard University to reach an affiliation agreement with other institutions to allow HU doctors to continue to train med students. If there’s no agreement by June 30, there’s no deal with Universal Health Services (UHS), which will be building the new hospital. Also approved were amendments requiring UHS to hire union members for at least 50% of the nonsupervisory workforce at the new hospital in southeast DC and that UHS, SEIU and DCNA negotiate neutrality agreements for organizing campaigns at the new hospital.
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