Why is union membership forced upon employees? If it's such a wonderful thing shouldn't we have the choice to subscribe, or not?

SEIU is simply a joke. They are less interested in representing their members and more interested in pursuing their political agenda.

Having said that if the workers are stupid enough to vote to keep paying their hard earned money to these clowns, then it's on their heads.

@Steve from Sylvan Park.

You would be talking about a right to work state. Something that I doubt the People's Republic of California will ever become.

The few times I have had people at the hospital be rude or delivered bad service they ALWAYS proudly wear their SEIU buttons.
SEIU needs to keep collecting dues so they can continue to buy politicians and elections and true reform from ever coming to California.

They reap what they sow. They cannot complain about paying dues now. They can't complain about working with someone who always breaks rules and then hides behind the union and never gets fired. They can't complain about anything. The hospital let the union in. The hospital let the reps run around the wards and badger employees and patients and patient families. The hospital let the reps get away with anything. The hospital might as well let the union officially run the hospital and save a few more dollars by getting rid of the administrators.

I have worked at ECH for more than 30 years. The Union has been here for about 10 years. Before the union came here we went 2 years with no pay increases, some people took pay cuts, job descriptions were changed without consulting the workers, and new positions or shift changes were done without regard to seniority. The union brought us improved healthcare for ourselves and family. They improved our pay so that it is comparable to what other hospitals workers in the area get. We have representation at disciplinary hearings. I am a steward and have represented many employees at disciplinary hearings and I know that employees who make grievous or repeated mistakes do get fired. Seniority is respected when there are open positions. My dues are 2% of my base salary and worth every cent. If we allowed some members to not pay dues, we still are obligated to represent them. I love ECH, I am not a disgruntled employee, both my wife and myself have had surgeries and been hospitalized there, my son was born there. I am better off being represented by a healthcare union.

I too am an El Camino Hospital employee. I gladly pay my dues simply because I get what I pay for. I was here before employees had a contract and I was here when employees were allowed to be a member or not be a member. Now when there is a disagreement between workers and a manager, the disagreement is resolved by looking it up in the contract. If my work is changed, I have a chance to talk about it and present my own ideas. When people could be a member or not they got the same benefit as me and didn’t pay for it.

I think that the point is simply this: Why are employees being forced to be a part of this Union? Shouldn't there be a choice? I thought this was America. Right or wrong, good or bad, difference of opinions...whatever the reasons employess should be given a choice to choose and decide for themselves. This is forceful payment of dues. No payment = no job. we all answer to SEIU now, not ECH.

Last point...someone do the math...where are all the Millions of dollars in dues going? Look it up.

Thank you for the article.