In a pivotal meeting held this past Saturday, January 13, in San Jose, workers from Bay Area Community Health (BACH) and Asian Health Services met with local politicians and labor leaders. Their goal: to address pressing concerns regarding working conditions and retaliatory actions by BACH management against those attempting to unionize.

The gathering, attended by notable figures including California Senator Aisha Wahab, California Assemblymember Ash Kalra, and San Jose City Councilmember Peter Ortiz, was a platform for BACH workers to voice their concerns.

Selena Hao, a former BACH worker, and Iliana Moreno, a current employee, highlighted issues such as health code infractions and systemic failures within a publicly funded organization. 

Former BACH worker Selena Hao said, “I joined this roundtable because of the deplorable working conditions, inadequate management response, and the subpar quality of care at our workplace. The excessive workload, high turnover, and the realization that patients and healthcare professionals deserve better motivated me.

“When we raised concerns with management, I faced retaliation and was laid off for attempting to unionize my coworkers. The fear instilled in others hampers their ability to speak out or share the truth about what transpires. 

“I hope our elected officials support workers in unionizing, enabling us to have a seat at the table to advocate for changes in our working environments, and schedules, and for the well-being of our patients. Political support is crucial in organizing community health. Officials must intervene and hold them accountable.”

The call to action resonated with the assembled politicians and labor leaders, leading to the unanimous signing of a letter expressing support for BACH workers in their pursuit of unionization.

Senator Wahab, acknowledging the urgency of the situation, emphasized the need for solidarity and collective efforts to address the challenges faced by workers in community clinics.