Local 1199 SEIU strikes Johns Hopkins Hospital

Striking union workers formed a huge picket line Wednesday at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Some carried signs saying: “End Poverty Pay.” There are about 2,000 caregiver employees participating.

The strike is supposed to last three days. The workers belong to Local 1199 SEIU, “United Healthcare Workers East.”

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I talked with Jim McNeill, a union official, about the reasons for the strike action.

“Basically, what is happening today is that you have workers at Hopkins Hospital who are on Medicaid and food stamps, who are really not able to make a fair wage. So people are out here to take ‘a strong stand to get a fair wage’ for every worker,” he said. To learn more details about the strikers’ concerns,  click here.  

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