Support staff at UVM Medical Center vote to unionize

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Support staffers at Vermont’s largest hospital have voted to unionize.

The newly formed union passed with a majority vote Friday afternoon. More than 2,000 support staffers and technical employees decided via secret ballot to officially unionize and begin collective bargaining with the UVM Medical Center.

The final vote in the support staff unit was 997-163. The technical professional unit voted 123-18.

Some of their priorities will be increased pay, safe staffing and respect on the job.

“We’re having a lot of turnover rate because nobody can afford to live here and work here and do the job that we do and do it safely, and go home and say that they took care of their patients to the best of their ability because we don’t have the staff to do that... So we’re going to fight for that,” said Jordan Bushway, a licensed nursing assistant.

Hospital staffers say this move will not only help them but benefit the patients they care for, as well.

“We see the patients, you know, more than our docs get to see our patients. We get to know our patients more than anybody in this hospital. So we have a very beautiful job of being support staff, but it’s time that we get supported by our administration and this hospital so we can benefit our community,” Bushway said.

In a statement, UVM Medical Center President and COO Stephen Leffler said: “Throughout this process, the University of Vermont Medical Center has focused on ensuring all support and technical staff had an opportunity to have their voices heard. We believe the election administered on-site by the National Labor Relations Board met that goal, and expect to be in contact with the union soon to begin negotiating in good faith a collective bargaining agreement.”

It’s unclear when the collective bargaining will begin.