With last week’s primary election in the rearview mirror, focus now turns to Nov. 3. While the question remains as to who will be California’s next governor, perhaps just as significant for California hospitals will be the outcomes of two key ballot initiatives. With five months to go until Election Day, we are asking all member hospitals to join two campaign coalitions today to help ensure success in November.
The first initiative: The California Hospital Association (CHA)-sponsored Health Care Workers’ Right to Vote Act, which would take important steps toward empowering health care union workers, who for years have had little to no say in how their union dues are spent. This measure would require large health care unions (those with more than 50,000 members) to hold a member vote and obtain approval before spending more than $1 million on a statewide ballot measure or $100,000 on a local ballot measure.
The measure would also provide health care workers with more transparency and accountability by requiring large health care unions to send their members a detailed annual account, clearly showing how their dues were spent on political campaigns, including candidates, ballot measures, and lobbying. Join the coalition in support today!
The second initiative, sponsored by the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West, would arbitrarily cut pay for doctors, nurses, surgeons, specialists, medical researchers, and other health care workers who provide administrative or managerial support at hospitals and physician groups — even those with a direct role in patient care. This measure would offer zero benefit to patients, as it does not require a single dollar to be invested into patient care or reducing health care costs. Instead, it would force leaders out of California and impede hospitals’ ability to recruit and retain critical caregivers, directly hurting patients in their time of greatest need and offering zero benefits. What’s more, the measure attacks hospital and physician leaders, but excludes leaders of health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and other health care entities. Join the coalition in opposition today!
This November, we’re asking hospitals to take a stand: for patients, for health care workers, and for the future of California’s health care system. Please join each coalition today and stay tuned for more information about how you can help ensure we’re successful in November.