SEIU 1021

Why are California clinic workers talking about SB 525?
The bill would create a $25 minimum wage for all healthcare workers

Article https://seiuclinicworkers.org/

One out of every six Californians receives care at a community clinic in our state. Community clinics often also provide dental, mental health, and other essential care, and they provide culturally-specific care to the diverse communities of our state. Clinics are a critical part of our healthcare safety net and without them, millions of Californians would have no access to basic and critical care.

Community clinics have fallen into a crisis driven by long-term, systemic underfunding. This has led to low pay and sub-standard benefits for the essential workers keeping clinics running, compounding an already acute staffing crisis—all of which impacts timely access to patient care. That’s where SB 525 comes in. It would create a $25/hour minimum wage for all healthcare workers, which would help retain and recruit badly-needed staff at community clinics.

“Passing SB525 would be a game changer for La Clínica workers and for all clinic workers throughout the state,” said Angel Valdez, an SEIU 1201 Executive Board member who works for La Clinica de la Raza. “Our facilities suffer from acute levels of understaffing, which affects the quality of services we’re able to provide to our patients. This also leads to high levels of burnout amongst the clinic workers who end up leaving our clinics. Raising the minimum wage to $25 for all clinic workers will help alleviate issues related to recruitment, retention, and better salaries.” 

Last year, community clinics from across the state united and won $70 million in retention bonuses. In 2023, clinic workers and union members are building on this momentum to make sure that community clinics can provide quality care to patients and that clinic workers are valued, respected, and paid decent wages and benefits with the following three-part strategy:

  • PASS SB 525 - $25 HEALTHCARE WORKER MINIMUM WAGE: Legislation that creates a $25 minimum wage for all healthcare workers.
     
  • PASS SB 779 – TRANSPARENCY FROM CLINICS: Legislation which will require community clinics to be upfront about how they spend the millions of dollars they receive from the state.
     
  • GROW SEIU COMMUNITY CLINIC WORKERS UNITED: When we join together and speak out, we have the power to make the positive changes our clinics need!

To find out more and get involved, click here.