Local 170 has been working hard to sign up members to save our local. (West Virginia’s Republican legislature recently passed legislation prohibiting dues checkoff in the public sector, so Local 170 is having to re-sign all of its members to pay dues with credit card or bank drafts -ed.)
On August 24, state hospital workers met with Shevona Lusk, the Chief Operating Officer of the state hospitals in West Virginia, and Ginny Fitzwater, the human resources director for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. In the three hour meeting they discussed topics including the hostile work environment and unsafe working conditions faced by state hospital workers, and the importance of pay raises. They also managed to get Lusk to commit to another meeting for further discussion. This is a great start for members of 170 for better conditions for the state hospitals workers. There are plans to have meetings for other state agencies in the near future.
As a result of the meeting, workers at Sharpe Hospital have gotten extra staff to cover recreation groups. More staff at recreation groups means more patients can get enough recreation time — which makes the whole facility safer for both workers and patients.
The union has also worked with the hospital administration to develop a grievance resolution committee at Sharpe. Bateman hospital has had a grievance committee for years that allows management and the union to work out grievances. Sharpe would not ever consider meeting to work out issues at the hospital, but now they are considering putting one in place. The committee will serve as a platform to help find common-sense approaches to issues identified by employees.
The local’s executive board recently held a board meeting to discuss their state convention that is coming up October 14-16, 2022 at their union hall in Charleston WV. The theme of this year's convention will be “We Are Survivors,” which is very appropriate considering all the struggles Local 170 has faced. The local is going to provide trainings such as stewards and officers training, basic first aid, and how to have that first discussion with co-workers about being a union member. Elections for all officers will be held. And delegates will also learn about their union while winning prizes they would need in a survival setting.
Members are going to Polk school community park in Weston, WV on September 28 from 1:00pm to 8:00pm to sign up state employees in the area, and our organizer Samantha Crockett will be at Bateman hospital October 5 and 6 to sign up people at Bateman hospital.
Our local has also fought and won several grievances recently, getting workers who were on indefinite suspension back to work and winning several thousands dollars in settlement agreements.
Members continue to meet to discuss ways to sign up members, work on ways for members to become more active, and fight and win grievances.