Healthcare Workers Oppose Free Speech Limits

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

SEIU1199 DC - this year's Golden Picket award-winners - will testify at the DC City Council today against proposed legislation that would ban residential picketing. Members of the union picketed the northwest DC home of boss Solanges Vivens several times last year. "Workers at two of her agencies have voted to join 1199 but still have no contracts," 1199's Stacey Mink tells Union City. Workers at Vivens' VMT home healthcare agency voted to join 1199 in February 2008 and the Washington Center for the Aging in summer 2009. Earlier this week workers at the J.B. Johnson Nursing home also voted to join 1199 and will be seeking a contract as well. "Vivens does not attend negotiations so the only venue for her workers to address her is at her million-dollar home. Vivens is an excellent example why this bill is unnecessary and limits the free speech rights of her employees." - photo: a crowd of more than 70 1199SEIU healthcare workers and supporters demonstrate outside Solanges Vivens home in November 2009; photo by Stacey Mink