FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2019

Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259

ALABAMA FRESENIUS WORKERS RATIFY FIRST CONTRACT

Workers at Fresenius in Mobile, Alabama Had One Goal in Seeking a Union Contract, Care for Their Patients – and They Won

(MOBILE, AL) – Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), announced that workers at the Fresenius kidney dialysis facility in Mobile, Alabama, voted unanimously to ratify their first contract. The negotiations committee worked tirelessly to secure a strong contract that ensures workers’ concerns will be heard. This contract will protect the hard-working patient care technicians that provide critical care to patients in Mobile.

This contract sets a scheduling protection precedent, which will bring stability to both workers and patients’ lives. It should set a standard not just for the global employer, but the industry. The union is also currently in negotiations for a contract at another Fresenius facility in Alabama and is confident that the strong provisions secured here will be part of that contract as well.

The RWDSU represents healthcare workers across the U.S. in Alabama, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. This announcement comes among a string of organizing and contract wins in the South for the RWDSU. The union continues to win organizing campaigns in Right-to-Work states, bringing a union voice for workers in previously vehemently anti-union workplaces.

“The healthcare workers at Fresenius had one goal in seeking a union contract, care for their patients – and they won, “Randy Hadley, President of the Mid-South Council of the RWDSU said. “This first contract will bring so much not only to our members, but to their patients at Fresenius in Mobile. Together I know we can continue to spread that to so many other facilities where critical care like this is given to so many suffering from kidney disease and health issues.

The ratification of this contract was conducted in the afternoon of Saturday, April 27, 2019 and was approved unanimously.

The contract will be in effect for four years and includes critical provisions such as:

Up to 6% wage increases in the first year of the contract, as well as ratification bonuses. 

Guaranteed union access to the facility to ensure the collective bargaining agreement is being properly adhered to.

Guaranteed scheduling protections, which will bring stability to both workers and patients lives.