Representing a major breakthrough for labor relations within the state's health industry and across the region, the move by Caritas Christi, 1199SEIU, and the Area Trades Council embodies a new level of prospective cooperation designed to bring about the next generation of value and quality to health care.

Caritas Christi, known for delivering world class care in community settings, has reaffirmed the system's commitment to patients, caregivers, the community, and Catholic Social Teachings by pledging without reservation that Caritas will allow free and fair voting conditions for its employees when they are deciding whether to form unions. In addition, Caritas Christi and the members of 1199SEIU will integrate efforts around employee training and education, as well as employee and patient satisfaction, to usher in the next level of health care quality and patient satisfaction.

As the state's second largest healthcare employer with 13,000 employees, Caritas Christi has distinguished itself as the first major health system to forge such an accord since non-union area hospital workers officially announced their appeal to hospital CEOs for free and fair union elections in October 2007.

As a continuation of the Caritas tradition of innovation and excellence, the accord will serve not only to ensure fair union voting conditions for the system's employees, but also promises to help current and future union members within Caritas facilities coordinate more closely with management to build a high quality and economically sound organization devoted to compassionate, quality, patient-centered care for the people of Massachusetts.

Senior Massach
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