My name is Gabriele Cohen, and I'm an RN.

As everyone knows nursing is a wonderful profession but also a demanding one. Most nurses are women who have families, and in addition to caring for their patients they need to care for their families. There are numerous reasons for nurses leaving the profession:

1. Hours are not always conducive to raising a family: Nurses come home tired, frustrated and at times emotionally drained, at which time they need to become "Super Mom", "Super wife", a driver, a coach, etc. After several years if they are still married they are looking at their balance sheet and realize that they can not do everything, at which time they opt to leave nursing and go somewhere else.

2. Salaries: In today's world when the plumber and the electrician ask for $125.00 an hour, a nurse can not make it on one salary of $40.00-$60.00 an hour; especially when she is in debt because of student loans.

3. Abuse: In many hospitals and other settings nurses are abused by their supervisors, physicians, patients and their families.

4. Administration: As a staff nurse, educator, manager and director, I can say that the administration and the management team, rarely backs up nurses; they always believe physicians but not nurses. Nurses in most cases are doing a great job, but they do not get the support they need and deserve from the upper level.

5. Appreciation: Nurses are not appreciated; once a year to have an award dinner or occasional story in the institution paper is not enough.

6. Benefits: Nurses are working at least as hard as fire fighters, the police and the military, but they do not get pensions, sabbaticals, enough vacations, or a similar retirement plan by age. Nurses are working many over time hours, nights, weekends and holidays, but do not get enough time off.

7. Shifts: It is documented in the literature that working rotating shifts is bad for the body and the physiological functioning, though nurses have to work shifts with inadequate rest time in between, like the airline industry has.

8. Nurses involvement: Nurse are a wealth of knowledge and information but administration usually does not listen to them for improvements in practices, patient safety, renovation or new construction projects, etc.

9. Nurses Shortage: There is a severe nursing shortage and nurses do not see an end to it. Schools of nursing can not accept enough students due to inadequate faculty staffing, and also due to insulting salary levels for the faculty. Money promised is not provided, tuition is high and potential students can not afford the cost.

10. Although the government is aware of the shortage, not much is done on the Federal or State level to alleviate the shortage, which makes it hard on the nurses' daily assignments.

I worked 43 years a hospital nurse. I have one little pension from one hospital I worked at for 8 years, and for the other 35 years I get no pension. I never even had a sabbatical either. Is anyone surprised why nurses leave the profession?

- Gabriele

I’m Paula Ohlmann and I live and work on Long Island, New York.

I’m trying to do my part in solving the nursing shortage - by keeping RNs from leaving their institutions. Surveys of many New York RNs reveal that large numbers leave their jobs during the first five years after being hired. Most of them are new graduates who are overwhelmed by the realities of short staffing that now prevail in many hospitals.

Discouraged by the stress of attending to too many patients, they resign or drop out of the profession. One solution to make them stay is to assign nurse preceptors. Apart from their regular bedside nursing duties, they are trained to help the new nurses hurdle the challenging complexities of their first assignments.

A good preceptor needs patience, knowledge, understanding and a willingness to continue one's own education. My hospital, Eastern Long Island, has a 30-bed medical-surgical ward is staffed with 25 registered nurses. I have been a preceptor, one-to-one, for the last two years to the nurses in my busy department.

- Paula

On August 8th, Senator Barack Obama walked a day in the shoes of Alameda County homecare worker Pauline Beck.

Pauline writes about the experience below:

When I was first told Senator Barack Obama would be walking a day in my shoes, the first thing that came to mind was: What do you make a presidential candidate for breakfast?  

The moment the Senator came to my door and we said hello, I knew he would fit right in with my two daughters, my son and my two year old grandnephew I care for.

While we ate breakfast, we talked about how difficult it is to support a family on $10.50 an hour with limited work hours.  I told him I have to take another job to make ends meet. I also told him that Alameda County homecare workers are considered ‘fortunate’ since many other homecare workers are paid only minimum wage and don’t get any health benefits.

 

Once we finished breakfast, Senator Obama and I headed over to John Thornton’s home – the 86 year old gentleman I care for.  The Senator asked me how I knew Mr. John (which is what he likes to be called).  I explained that it was through a friend at church – that Mr. John’s caregiver wasn’t able to care for him anymore because the job is so physically demanding.  That’s when I stepped in. 

I told Senator Obama that Mr. John has two homecare providers.  I take the morning shift – getting Mr. John up, bathed, fed, seated in his wheelchair and ready for the day, and another care provider makes sure he eats dinner and gets to bed safe and sound. 

I shared that even though it’s tough work, a financial struggle and I often work more hours than I’m paid for in order to make sure that Mr. John is taken care of, I love what I do and one day hope that someone will care for me with the same compassion I give Mr. John.

When we got to Mr. John’s, the Senator was ready and willing to do whatever task was at hand.  He jumped in and made Mr. John breakfast, helped with the laundry, did some chores around the house, and gave me a hand changing Mr. John’s sheets. Besides making sure that Mr. John’s house is in order and that he gets the help he needs to start his day, my job has a lot of physical demands. I told the Senator—and he got to see for himself—that homecare is very rewarding, but it’s also really hard work.  I also explained to him that even though I work through Alameda County, if I get sick, I receive no paid time off like other County and State employees—and homecare workers don’t get any paid vacation.

My day with Senator Obama was one I’ll never forget – and I hope he never forgets it as well.  I hope he understands how important the homecare program is to those we care for – that our work makes it possible for folks to live in their own homes surrounded by all of their memories.  I hope he understands the struggles homecare workers have on the job and at home just trying to make ends meet. 

And by the way, in case you ever find yourself having a presidential candidate over for breakfast, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, sausage and croissants seemed to be a big hit.

My name is Dr. Jack Braha, and I live and work in New York City.

I am a second-year Internal Medicine resident, and my daily routine includes checking on twenty-four patients, and discussing their diagnosis plan of care with the nurses, medical students, interns and, of course, with the patients and their families. These patients often lack a primary care physician (pcp), which is much of the reason they land on my medical ward. This means that not only will we be dealing with the acute issues at hand but also with underlying untreated chronic diseases. For patients nearing the end of the hospitalization, we will arrange follow-up care, spend time arranging for the lowest priced drugs to be filled after discharge and then complete the plethora of paperwork associated with this.

I can sum up the worthiness of this sacrifice in both time and cost in a recent patient encounter. Mr. Jones (not his real name) was admitted for respiratory failure and ended up on a ventilator. He was only 33. He was morbidly obese and had bad lung disease from sleep apnea. Now he was in the intensive care unit for pneumonia. As our team of physicians cared for this stranger, who lacked a pcp, we began our plans for his future. Remove the breathing and feeding tubes, then take care of his hypertension and newly diagnosed heart disease, prepare for rehab and possibly a discharge home after. This all came about--he was in luck. But even more than his amazing survival, he now had a primary care physician: Me. Since then we've worked hand-in-hand, and he is well on his way to recovery and substantial weight loss. I believe that he would have been a healthier man if he had PCP access prior and most likely could have avoided the prolonged hospitalization and ICU admission.

I also believe that with a universal system and single payer, it will be much easier to bill and track patient utility. I think that better physician participation in politics, donating more of our dollars to our medical societies, and education of young attendings and residents will result in the next generation of physicians being more involved with improving our healthcare system.

Thanks for joining Healthcare United and for being a part of this new generation of healthcare advocacy!
- Dr. Jack Braha, DO

My name is Carol Moos, I am an RN, and I live in Brush, Colorado.

I can't do my job because our healthcare system is so broken.

I'm very concerned about the growing workload that nurses are expected to bear every day. Our patient to nurse ratio is much too high, and as a result, the quality of care given to our patients isn't as good as it could be and is putting patients at risk along with nurses' licenses on the line.

I regularly worked shorthanded in a four-bed Intensive Care Unit. When I finally decided to speak up about the apparent lack of the appropriate staffing levels, I was frequently put into unsafe conditions with critical patients. Because I voiced my opinion, I was fired for showing concern and emotion while on duty. Is that any way to address a staffing shortage? I think not.

Well, I decided to try to do something about the problem. I recently attended a meeting organized by Healthcare United in Colorado, and I'm glad that I did. By joining with other nurses and healthcare workers like us, we have a real opportunity now to change America's healthcare problems, and I encourage others to do the same.

Thanks,

- Carol

My name is Linda, I am a nurse, and I live in Tampa, Florida.

I have been involved in the healthcare field for 30 years. I believe that nurses today are called upon to do more than a reasonable amount of work each day, and that increases the potential for errors, and their associated serious consequences. When nurses are expected to provide medication for 30 to 35 people a day, the potential for an error grows. The stress involved might lead to medication mistakes.

I also believe that healthcare workers themselves need better health benefits. I've seen too many healthcare workers report to work sick. They feel that that they may lose their jobs if they call in sick. Of course, when sick healthcare workers are in continuous contact with patients the chances of them passing along their infections, etc., to their patients, can have extremely serious consequences.

I believe that healthcare workers need to come together for the good of their patients, for themselves and their families. So-called "chronic complainers" too often lose their jobs, when what they are doing is voicing the real concerns they feel. Healthcare workers need to unite to improve their working conditions in order to bring about the changes that are needed for the benefit of everyone.

Please join us, and together we can make these needed changes.

Thank you!
- Linda

Hi, my name is Jane Solow, I'm a retired RN who worked in a clinic, and I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I believe that we have to do something about medical care in the US. Too many people have little access to medical or dental care that is comprehensive and affordable. At this time when so many employers are refusing to provide health coverage as a benefit, or making the employees pay a high percentage of the cost, a lot of us must decide between insurance coverage or having enough of a check left to pay our bills. Another thing that impacts our healthcare is that, if you lose or change jobs, you may be, at least temporarily, without insurance. My feeling is that we need a universal health plan for everyone, as so many other countries have done.

The argument against it that I hear the most, are fear of the government being involved in our healthcare decisions, and the cost. Right now, the insurance companies have all of the power, and make a great many decisions for us. They determine which drugs and treatments will be covered, which doctors you can see, and have access to all of your health records. Most newer drugs and treatments are considered "experimental", and are not covered at all, even when there is a great deal of success with them. In the past, we had insurance which allowed us to go to any doctor we chose. If I had a health issue, I could call and make an appointment with a specialist I respected, and whose work I was familiar with, as a nurse. Now, we must all pick a primary care provider, and be referred to someone of his, or her, choosing, who also participates with the insurance company. This involves a visit to the PCP first, so there are two co-payments instead of one, it can delay treatment, and we may not like the doctor chosen for us. How is this any different than government interference? Most of the people from other countries with universal health coverage that I have talked to are able to pick any doctor because they are all covered. I think it's possible that our health issues may be kept more private, between our doctors and ourselves, than they are now.

The amount it would cost, could be paid for in a lot of different ways. The amount that companies pay for insurance now would be a start, and any companies with a large number of employees should pay their share. If we had insurance for everyone, it would free up money we now spend on the poorly managed Medicaid and Medicare programs. The big threat is a tax increase, but we might be able to handle even that, if we didn't have to pay so much for our own insurance and medical care.

We must do something to provide quality health care for everyone. Many families do not qualify for Medicaid programs. Either they have a higher income than allowed, or they have too many assets. The message seems to be that if you are able to own a home, you don't need insurance, because you have something you can sell to pay your medical bills. If we can afford to finance a war, which is killing and injuring a great many of our strong, healthy young people, in a faraway country, which may not even welcome our help, surely we can afford healthcare for our own citizens.

Let's do something!

Thanks,
- Jane

There's never been a more critical time to make your voice heard. Together, we can lead the way to a national healthcare systeme that works fo all of us

This November, we can make history and transform the lives of our members and all working families by winning national healthcare reform. We need a healthcare system where:

 

• Our hospitals, nursing homes, health centers are fairly funded;
• We can deliver the highest quality care to our patients, residents, and consumers;
• Every caregiver has health insurance for themselves and their families.

By electing Senator Barack Obama as our next president, and creating a new pro-worker Congressional majority we can realize our vision of providing the highest quality care and creating the highest quality jobs for workers. And we will have the strength to hold our new president and Congress accountable so that change begins in the first 100 days. To have the power to make this happen, we must unite the voices of millions of nurses, doctors, healthcare and home care workers throughout this country through Healthcare United.

Healthcare United combines the voices and political strength of union and nonunion caregivers in every state to lead the fight for national healthcare reform.    

1. JOIN HEALTHCARE UNITED
2. GIVE TO SEIU COPE.
3. REACH OUT TO OTHER SEIU MEMBERS.
4. INFLUENCE VOTERS IN KEY BATTLE GROUND STATES.

Overview
About the Study
Our Findings

Healthcare System Concerns Among Peers
Presidential Candidate Priorities On Healthcare
Healthcare Reform Priorities
Healthcare Advocacy

How to Get Involved 

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Overview

Beginning in March, Healthcare United surveyed a total of approximately 8,300 doctors, nurses and caregivers in order to determine their concerns and priorities for our nation’s healthcare system.  This bipartisan group was extremely diverse, consisting of participants of nearly all income levels, professions, genders and races.

Statistically significant results show that healthcare professionals and their colleagues are concerned with the state of the healthcare system (95.70%). However, the participants did not believe that the 2008 presidential candidates share their concerns, with 84.99% stating that the candidates do not talk enough about healthcare reform. 

Most importantly, the study found that nearly 9 in 10 doctors, nurses and caregivers would be willing to advocate on behalf of the changes that they’d like to see implemented, but are unsure of how to do so.

Based on these results, Healthcare United can conclude that doctors, nurses and caregivers desire systematical change in healthcare for both their patients and their own families, and are willing to advocate in order to make these changes possible in any way possible -- but do not have an outlet for such advocacy.

These results indicate a strong rationale for Healthcare United and our effort to mobilize doctors, nurses and caregivers to bring real change to healthcare both during and beyond this historic election. 

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About The Study (Methodology)

From March to June 2008, Healthcare United surveyed a total of approximately 8,300 doctors, nurses and caregivers in order to determine their concerns and priorities for our nation’s healthcare system.  Users were asked to fill out an online survey form and submit it to Healthcare United.

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Our Findings (Results)

Due to the large number of those surveyed, our results can be deemed statistically significant, with a margin of error (MoE) of plus or minus 1.08 at the 95% confidence level.

1. Healthcare System Concerns Among Peers

The first goal in our study was to determine the level of concern among healthcare workers.  We asked our participants if they believed whether or not they and their colleagues were concerned with the current state of the healthcare system.

The overwhelming majority -- 67.76% of those surveyed (5,606 participants) -- said that they and their colleagues were very concerned about the current healthcare system, as compared to only 0.63% of those who said that they were not at all concerned with the healthcare system (52 participants).  In total, 95.70% of those surveyed (7,916 participants) fell within the “concerned” spectrum, whereas only 4.30% of those surveyed (409 participants) fell in the “not concerned” spectrum -- meaning that over 19 out of 20 doctors, nurses and caregivers are either somewhat concerned or very concerned about the state of the system that they work in. 

 

2. Presidential Candidate Priorities on Healthcare

We then asked our participants of they believe that the presidential candidates share the same concerns as they do, and if the participants believe the candidates are talking about healthcare issues enough.

The vast majority -- 84.99% of those surveyed (6,995 participants), nearly 17 our of 20 doctors, nurses and caregivers -- believe that the candidates are not focusing enough on issues within our healthcare system.  This indicates that while healthcare workers believe their friends and co-workers are concerned, they do not believe the the presidential candidates use enough language or have enough proposals that would address these concerns.

 

3. Healthcare Reform Priorities

We then inquired as to which elements of healthcare reform they’d like to see addressed the most, based on their concerns.  We asked those surveyed to select a total of three (3) priorities that they had in healthcare reform, for a total of 24,189 responses.

The top three priorities were:

1. Lowering Insurance Costs (24%)
2. Lowering Prescription Prices (24%)
3. Lowering General Costs (23%)

4. Healthcare Advocacy

Finally, we asked the participants if they’d be willing to advocate on behalf of the changes that they’d like to see within the system.

Nearly 9 out of 10 doctors, nurses and caregivers -- 88.91% of those surveyed (7186 participants) -- said they would be willing to advocate on behalf of these changes.  If we generalize this to the national population of healthcare professionals, this indicates an extremely populous group that is willing to be mobilized to make change.

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How To Get Involved

In order to foster advocacy among doctors, nurses and caregivers, Healthcare United has set up field operations in all of the so-called “swing states” for the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election.  You can get involved by:

1. Visiting our Healthcare United Action Center;
2. Visiting your state’s Healthcare United webpage;
3. Reading our blog to keep up with the latest Healthcare United activities.

The future of health care in America may well come down to one question: Who will shape the next president's healthcare policy – nurses, or drug and insurance companies?

Now, you can be part of the answer.  Healthcare United is helping front line caregivers like us drive the healthcare debate based on what we know best: what our patients and our families need to live healthy lives.  As a first step, we’ve created a short online survey to be able to share our perspective on that state of our national healthcare system. Once 50,000 health care providers have filled out the survey, the results will be directly delivered to Barack Obama and John McCain.

As this election season heats up, drug and insurance corporations will be pushing the candidates to support policies that put their interests before our patients. These companies have plenty of cash and hordes of lobbyists to speak for them.

So who speaks for the nurses, the CNAs, the homecare workers and all the rest of us on the front lines of health care? We do. And when we speak with one, united voice, we can be powerful enough to push back the tide of corporate lobbyists and win the best care possible for our patients and our families.

Please take the first step right now by filling out this quick online survey on what you think about our health care system and what we need to change. Just a couple minutes of your time your time now could make a world of difference. 

Add your voice and lend a minute of your time to compete our healthcare worker survey!

Do You Have a Story to Share?  Please Share it With Us!

Carol Moos, RN

"I decided to try to do something about the problem. I recently attended a meeting organized by Healthcare United in Colorado, and I’m glad that I did. By joining with other nurses and healthcare workers like us, we have a real opportunity now to change America’s healthcare problems, and I encourage others to do the same."

Read more from Carol.   

 

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Dr. Jack Braha, MD

"I think that better physician participation in politics, donating more of our dollars to our medical societies, and education of young attendings and residents will result in the next generation of physicians being more involved with improving our healthcare system."

Read more from Dr. Braha.   

 

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Jane Solow, RN

"I believe that we have to do something about medical care in the US. Too many people have little access to medical or dental care that is comprehensive and affordable. At this time when so many employers are refusing to provide health coverage as a benefit, or making the employees pay a high percentage of the cost, a lot of us must decide between insurance coverage or having enough of a check left to pay our bills."

Read more from Jane.   

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Pat Conway, RN

Pat Conway is a retired RN who used to work in home healthcare back in the day when a typical Medicare-reimbursed home health aide visit lasted up to 4 hours. Now she takes care of her mother who has dementia.

Read more from Pat.

 

 

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Linda, RN

"I believe that healthcare workers themselves need better health benefits. I’ve seen too many healthcare workers report to work sick. They feel that that they may lose their jobs if they call in sick. Of course, when sick healthcare workers are in continuous contact with patients the chances of them passing along their infections, etc., to their patients, can have extremely serious consequences."

Read more from Linda.   

 

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Rhonda Smith

Rhonda Smith has been a housekeeper at a hospital in Florida for the past six years. She has four children, but can only afford to cover herself under her employer's plan.

Mothers who work full-time for a hospital shouldn't have to worry that their children cannot get medical care. Many of her coworkers are in similar situations, and it's time that we stand up together to say that this just has to change.

Read more from Rhonda.   

Coming Soon

Who We Are

Here in New Mexico, the Committee of Interns and Residents are the interim coordinators of Healthcare United.

The Committee of Interns and Residents is the largest housestaff union in the country, representing more than 13,500 residents in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. CIR contracts improve housestaff salaries and working conditions as well as enhance the quality of patient care. CIR was founded in 1957 by interns and residents in New York City's public hospitals. Since then, CIR members have negotiated hours limitations and program security clauses in Miami, Los Angeles and Boston. These important advances have become models for improving residency programs across the country.

See CIR member Dr. Elizabeth Burpee's political efforts here.

What We Are Doing

After the primary, Healthcare United New Mexico will be launching with a vigorous voter registration campaign - aimed at registering caregivers across the state.

Oscar Lopez is our full-time organizer based in Albuquerque.

Stay tuned at this space for our upcoming statewide mobilization, and join us now!

Contact our office at 505-244-8775.

I authorize the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and its locals and affiliates, to publish the information I have provided, including my name, photograph, statement, video and any other information, in any forum including the internet and email. I confirm that the information provided does not contain any protected health information or any other information the disclosure of which would violate federal, state, or local laws. I understand that SEIU may edit the information I have provided if it deems it appropriate. I hereby release SEIU from any liability and claims that I may have arising out of the use and publication of this material.  I confirm that I am at least 18 years of age and that all information in the material I have provided to SEIU is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Events

For setting up state events.  This tool is open to all, and you can easily create an account within the system.  From there, set up an event, choose your state in "event type," and enter the information as necessary.  For right now, the people that will be setting up these events are organizers, but anyone (including constituents) have the ability to create their own events if they know the link to this page.

Phonebanking

This tool is designed for internal use as of right now.  In order to create phonebanking campaigns, you'll need to have an account within something we call "the BSD toolset."  Ask Brad for one of these. 

The tool is designed to simply push people to take any prompted action via telephone.  We can work from any constituent list, whether it be VAN or lists of petitioners that we've collected from the field, and we put that into the phonebanking system.  From there, we enter a script, and anyone who logs in has the ability to call that list and prompt them to take that action -- whether it's GOTV, voter registration, petition signing, or anything that comes to mind.

Letters

This tool is designed to send letters to a) daily newspapers, b) senators, c) congresspersons, or d) both senators and congresspersons.

Included in the tool are talking points to use and an intro/goals section.   

In order to create letters campaigns, you'll need to have an account within something we call "the BSD toolset."  Ask Brad for one of these. 

Questions?

If you have any questions, contact Brad via phone at 202 730-7158 or via e-mail at brad.levinson@seiu.org 

JUNETEENTH

A Day to Raise Every Voice

In Wisconsin, there are 22,603 healthcare professionals and workers who are not yet registered to vote. That means that even if you are registered, 1 out of 5 of your colleagues in Wisconsin is not.  If we are going to change our national healthcare system, we need everyone's voices and every nurse, doctor and healthcare worker registered to vote.

In the spirit of Juneteenth, a day of freedom and emancipation, caregivers across the state are registering their friends, family and coworkers to vote. Here's what you can do:

1. Register to vote
2. Forward the voter registration information to your healthcare colleagues
3. Attend your local Juneteenth event 

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STATE CHAPTER

In Wisconsin, Healthcare United is working to support two local campaigns: The Milwaukee Paid Sick Days Coalition and a group of local healthcare referenda campaigns that will launch at the end of May.

The Milwaukee Paid Sick Days Coalition is led by 9to5, National Association of Working Women and includes Healthcare United and almost 50 labor, community, faith-based and neighborhood organizations working together to pass a city-wide referendum vote for paid sick days this November. The proposed ordinance would allow all workers in the city of Milwaukee to earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, capped at 9 paid sick days a year. Workers in businesses with less than 10 employees would accrue at a rate of 1 hour for every 50 worked, up to 5 days a year. Workers will be able to use the time for their own illness, family illness, medical appointments or any absence necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Status: The coalition launched a petition drive on April 25th asking city residents to sign on in support of the proposed ordinance. They have 60 days to get 26,000 signatures to move the issue to the City Council. If the Council does not take up the ordinance and pass it, the question will be placed on the November 2008 ballot for Milwaukee voters to decide.

For more information, visit http://www.9to5.org/

Building off great nurse advocacy energy in Colorado, the Colorado chapter of Health United is off to a great start. Having recruited and identified some great activists in key locations all over Colorado, we will bring healthcare workers together in Denver, CO for a second meeting on June 12th. For more information contact Jessica Vollmer at Jessica@healthcareunited.org.

2nd GENERAL MEETING of Healthcare United- Colorado!
Thursday, June 12 from 6-7:30pm
Tivoli Student Union
900 Auraria Pkwy #325E
Denver 80204 
(Google Map)

Click here to RSVP!

• Representative Sara Gagliardi, LPN, will hold a discussion around the politics of health care reform.
• Report backs from the:
  • Electoral Action Committee
  • Communications and Media Committee
  • DNC Committee
  • Outreach and Growth Committee
  • Policy and Grassroots Organizing Committee
• And a discussion around how we move forward from here!Please join us as we keep working to put patients before profits!

For more info, contact Jessica Vollmer at 303-681-7904 or at jessica@healthcareunited.org

Healthcare United
Colorado Office: 303-681-7904
Toll Free: 866-766-8449

Back to States

Dear Member of Congress,

I work on the frontlines of our healthcare system as a healthcare worker and am alarmed by the escalating cost of prescription drugs, a growing crisis for our patients and for our entire system of care. Here are the disturbing facts:

Drug companies spend at least $25 billion per year marketing to doctors. This figure has more than doubled over the past 10 years.

These costs are passed on to consumers – this $25 billion is built in to the cost of every drug we buy.

Published evidence clearly shows that targeted marketing can shifts doctors toward higher cost and sometimes less-safe drugs.

As someone who sees my patients struggle to afford the live-saving drugs they need, I ask that you act swiftly to ensure that prescription drugs are more affordable and accessible, and stop drug companies from controlling the market.

I urge you to sign onto the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (S. 2029 and HR 5605), which will require much stronger disclosure of the incredible amount of money that drug companies spend marketing to doctors.

Thank you,

The Undersigned 

My name is Pat Conway. I'm a retired RN who used to work in home health care back in the day when a typical Medicare-reimbursed home health aide visit lasted up to 4 hours. Now I am taking care of my mother who has dementia, a supra-pubic catheter and is in a wheel chair most of the time. Her doctor has ordered daily 4-hr. Home Health Aide visits for her, but I can't find a single Medicare-certified home health agency in St. Paul, Minnesota that has sufficient staff to meet the MD's order.

According to Medicare Advocacy (www.medicareadvocacy.org),home health agencies avoid taking on long term, difficult patients by keeping their Medicare-reimbursed home health aide staff to a minimum. They form two separate divisions: the private-pay division, which has plenty of staff for all your private-pay needs, and the Medicare division which usually has sufficient RN, PTs and OT's but very few home health aides.  This "insufficient staff" ploy, however, is in violation of the Medicare Conditions of Participation for Medicare-certified home health agencies, which require all participating home health agencies to maintain a sufficient home health aide staff level to provide the home care services as ordered by the MD.  Doctors, family members and home care workers need to be educated in the Medicare Home Health Services benefit which pays for up to 28 hrs. of home health aide services per week.  Most Medicare recipients receive 3 to 6 hours of home health aide services per week today.  The problem is not with Medicare.  The problem is with the home health agency that is Medicare-certified but does not deliver on the full Medicare home health aide services mandated in the Medicare Statutes for all eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

After several attempts to report this noncompliance problem to the Chicago office of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, I learned that there is very little oversight of Medicare-certified home health agencies across the country.  It appears it is common practice to keep Medicare beneficiaries and the frontline home healthcare workers uninformed and unempowered. As members of Healthcare United, we need to do all we can to assure that the full range of Medicare home health benefits are explained and delivered to all the eligible Medicare beneficiaries in our care.

Won't you join me?

Thank you!

- Pat

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Welcome to healthcareunited.org  a website hosted by the Service Employees International Union ("SEIU"). By using and/or visiting this Website, you signify your agreement to (1) these terms and conditions (the "User Agreement") and (2) SEIU's Privacy Policy, incorporated here by reference. If you do not agree to all of the terms and conditions contained in this User Agreement and the Privacy Policy, you are not authorized to use the Website.

Although we may attempt to notify you when major changes are made to this User Agreement, you should periodically review the most up-to-date version.  SEIU may, in its sole discretion, modify this User Agreement at any time. By continuing to use this website following our posting of such changes, you agree to be bound by this User Agreement, as modified.

Through our sites, SEIU provides users with access to a rich array of educational resources, including personalized content. We hope you find our sites useful. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Website or any related sites, or any part of them, at any time, for any reason without prior notice to you. You agree that we shall not be liable for any such modification, suspension, or discontinuance.

Your registration information, as well as other personally identifiable information that you provide us about yourself on our sites, is subject to our Privacy Policy. Click here to read our Privacy Policy.

 

B. General Use of the Website -- Permissions and Restrictions

SEIU hereby grants you permission to access and use the Website as set forth in this User Agreement, provided that:

1. You do not collect any personally identifiable information of others, including user names or email addresses, from the Website.
2. You do not use the Website for any commercial purposes without the prior written authorization of SEIU.  You agree not to transmit or otherwise make available any unsolicited advertising, promotional information, bulk e-mail or other solicitation.  You agree not to solicit, for commercial purposes, any users of the Website with respect to material they post on the Website.
3. You do not use or launch any automated system, including without limitation, "robots," "spiders," or "offline readers," that accesses the Website in a manner that sends more request messages to the SEIU servers in a given period of time than a human can reasonably produce in the same period by using a conventional online web browser. Notwithstanding the foregoing, SEIU grants the operators of public search engines permission to use spiders to copy materials from the site for the sole purpose of and solely to the extent necessary for creating publicly available searchable indices of the materials, but not caches or archives of such materials. SEIU reserves the right to revoke these exceptions either generally or in specific cases.
4. You do not transmit or otherwise make available any content containing any "virus," "worm," "trojan horse," or any other computer code, file, or program designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment.
5. You do not alter or modify any part of the Website.
6. You do not circumvent, disable or otherwise interfere with security-related features of the Website or our sites or servers (or networks connected to our Website).
7. You do not harass, threaten, embarrass, or cause distress, unwanted attention, or discomfort to a person or entity on or through the Website or its communication systems.  
8. You do not  transmit or otherwise make available on or through the Website any content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable, as solely determined by SEIU.
9. SEIU reserves the right to change or discontinue any aspect of the Website at any time, for any reason, and without notice to you.  
10. SEIU reserves the right to suspend or terminate a user's access to the Website, without prior notice and at SEIU's sole discretion.  
11. This list of permissions and restrictions, along with the other terms discussed below, is not intended to be complete, but merely illustrative. We reserve the right in our sole and final judgment to determine whether conduct violates conduct requirements for the Website.

 

C. SEIU Registered User Accounts

In order to access some features of the Website, such as, for example, interactive blogs, you have to become a Registered User, which will also create a user account.  As a Registered User, you agree to be bound by the following terms:

1. When creating or modifying your account, you must provide accurate, current, and complete information. We reserve the right to disallow use of any user name that we deem offensive or inappropriate. You will be responsible for preserving the confidentiality of your password and for all actions of persons accessing the Website through any username/password assigned to you. You must notify SEIU immediately of any breach of security or unauthorized use of your account. You may never use another's account without permission.
2. As a Registered User you may submit comments on various SEIU blogs or other material (collectively, "User Content") to the Website.  SEIU reserves the right, but does not assume the obligation, to delete, move, condense, or edit such User Content for any reason and without prior notice.  SEIU also reserves the right to suspend or terminate a Registered User's access for posting User Content.  
3. You are solely responsible for your own User Content and the consequences of posting or publishing it. You affirm, represent, and/or warrant that: you own, or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to use and authorize SEIU to use, all patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other proprietary rights in and to all User Content you submit to enable inclusion and use of such User Content in the manner contemplated by the Website and these Terms of Service.
4. You retain all of your ownership rights in your User Content.  However, by submitting User Content to SEIU, you hereby grant SEIU a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable, perpetual, and transferable license to use, reproduce, store, distribute, prepare derivative works of and display your User Content (and your user name) in any medium in connection with the activities and operations of SEIU, its affiliated entities and successors. You also hereby grant each user of the Website a non-exclusive license to access your User Content through the Website, and to use, reproduce, and distribute such User Content for such user's personal, non-commercial purposes. You understand and agree that SEIU may retain, reproduce, distribute and otherwise use for any purpose copies of User Content that has been removed from the Website. The above licenses granted by you are perpetual and irrevocable.
5. SEIU does not endorse, authorize or ratify any User Content, or any opinion, recommendation, or advice expressed therein, and SEIU expressly disclaims all liability in connection with User Content. SEIU does not permit copyright infringing activities and infringement of intellectual property rights on its Website, and SEIU reserves the right, but does not assume the obligation, to remove any content from the Website if notified that such content infringes on another's intellectual property rights.

 

D. Your Use of Content on the Site

In addition to the restrictions above, the following restrictions and conditions apply specifically to your use of content on the Website.

1. The content on the Website (other than your User Content), including without limitation, the text, software, scripts, graphics, photos, sounds, music, videos, interactive features and the like (collectively, "SEIU Content") is owned by or licensed by SEIU.  Similarly, the trademarks, service marks and logos contained on the Website are owned or licensed by SEIU ("SEIU Marks").  Except as otherwise provided in this User Agreement  or elsewhere on the website (e.g., in the description of a campaign), the SEIU Content and the SEIU Marks may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, distributed, transmitted, broadcast, displayed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written consent of SEIU.  SEIU reserves all rights not expressly granted in and to the SEIU Content and the SEIU Marks.  
2. The Website is made available for your personal, non-commercial use only.  As part of such use, you may display, download and/or print pages from the site; you may link to the Website; and you may forward Website materials to others for personal, non-commercial uses that are reasonably related to the Website's purposes.  
3. You understand that when using the Website, you will be exposed to SEIU Content, User Content, and other third-party content from a variety of sources, and that SEIU makes no warranty about the accuracy, usefulness, safety, or intellectual property rights of or relating to such SEIU Content, User Content, or other third-party content. You further understand and acknowledge that you may be exposed to User Content that may be inaccurate, offensive, indecent, or objectionable, and you agree to waive, and hereby do waive, any legal or equitable rights or remedies you have or may have against SEIU with respect thereto.
4. The Website may contain links to third party websites that are not owned or controlled by SEIU.  SEIU has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third party websites. We encourage you to be aware when you leave the Website and to read the terms and conditions and privacy policy of each other website that you visit.

 

E. Digital Millennium Copyright Act

If you are a copyright owner or an agent thereof and believe that any SEIU Content or User Content infringes upon your copyright, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") by providing SEIU's Copyright Agent with the following information in writing (see 17 U.S.C 512(c)(3) for further detail):

• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed;

• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled and information reasonably sufficient to permit SEIU to locate the material;

• A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;

• A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are, or are authorized to act on behalf of, the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;

• Your name, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address; and

• A physical or electronic signature of the owner of the exclusive right that is allegedly infringed, or that of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner.

SEIU's designated Copyright Agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement can be reached at copyright@seiu.org.  You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with all of the above requirements, your DMCA notice may not be valid.  

For clarity, only DMCA notices should go to the Copyright Agent. Please use the Contact Us form for any other feedback, comments, requests for technical support, or other communications with SEIU.

 

F. Warranty Disclaimer

THIS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS."  YOU AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SEIU WEBSITE SHALL BE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SEIU, AS WELL AS ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE "SEIU PARTIES"), DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THE WEBSITE AND YOUR USE THEREOF. THE SEIU PARTIES CANNOT AND DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF THE SITE'S CONTENT OR THE CONTENT OF ANY SITES LINKED TO THIS SITE.  NOR DO THE SEIU PARTIES GUARANTEE THAT THE WEBSITE WILL BE ERROR FREE, OR CONTINUOUSLY AVAILABLE, OR THAT THE WEBSITE WILL BE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.  THE SEIU PARTIES DO NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE PROVIDED, ADVERTISED OR OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH THE SEIU WEBSITE OR ANY HYPERLINKED WEBSITE OR FEATURED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING.

 

G. Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE SEIU PARTIES BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE FORESEEABLE, RELATING TO THIS WEBSITE, INCLUDING ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY (I) ERRORS, MISTAKES, OR INACCURACIES OF CONTENT, (II) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF OUR WEBSITE, (III) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF OUR SECURE SERVERS AND/OR ANY AND ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION AND/OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION STORED THEREIN, (IV) INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION TO OR FROM OUR WEBSITE, (V) BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR THE LIKE, WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE BY ANY THIRD PARTY, AND/OR (VI) ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF ANY CONTENT POSTED, EMAILED, TRANSMITTED, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE SEIU WEBSITE, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT SEIU IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SEIU PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR USER CONTENT OR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE, OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY AND THAT THE RISK OF HARM OR DAMAGE FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU.  CERTAIN STATE LAWS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. TO THE EXTENT THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OF THE PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT MAY NOT APPLY.  YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE SEIU PARTIES AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, OF WHATEVER NATURE, THAT ARISE OUT OF YOUR USE OF AND ACCESS TO THE SEIU WEBSITE OR YOUR VIOLATION OF ANY OF THIS USER AGREEMENT.  THIS INDEMNIFICATION OBLIGATION WILL SURVIVE THIS USER AGREEMENT AND YOUR USE OF THE SEIU WEBSITE.

 

H. Ability to Accept User Agreement

You affirm that you are either more than 18 years of age, or an emancipated minor, or possess legal parental or guardian consent, and are fully able and competent to enter into the terms, conditions, obligations, affirmations, representations, and warranties set forth in this User Agreement, and to abide by and comply with this User Agreement. In any case, you affirm that you are over the age of 13, as the SEIU Website is not intended for children under 13.

 

I. Miscellaneous

This User Agreement shall be governed by the internal substantive laws of Washington, D.C., without respect to its conflict of laws principles. Any claim or dispute between you and SEIU that arises in whole or in part from the Website shall be decided exclusively by a court of competent jurisdiction located in Washington, D.C.  This User Agreement, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices published by SEIU on the Website, shall constitute the entire agreement between you and SEIU concerning the Website and supersedes prior agreements, if any, between you and SEIU relating to any matter dealt with in the User Agreement. If any provision of this User Agreement is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this User Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect. No waiver of any term of this User Agreement shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term, and SEIU's failure to assert any right or provision under this User Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. This User Agreement, and any rights and licenses granted hereunder, may not be transferred or assigned by you, but may be assigned by SEIU without restriction. This User Agreement and the rights and obligations created hereunder shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefits of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended or should be construed to confer upon any other person any right, remedy or claim under or by virtue of this Agreement.   

You and SEIU agree that any cause of action arising out of or related to the Website must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues. Otherwise, such cause of action is permanently barred.

This User Agreement is made effective as of April 30, 2008.

Hi, my name is Rhonda Smith. I work for the Medi Dyn corporation as a Housekeeper at St. Mary's Hospital, where I have worked for the past six years.

I have four children, but can only afford to cover myself under my employer's plan. Right now I pay $56 to cover myself, but it would cost significantly more to cover my entire family. Sadly, I cannot afford the high amount.

Even now I have to skip buying medications for my high blood pressure, or only buy half a prescription for my son's asthma because I cannot afford to buy what we need. My 2 year-old son Devon has chronic asthma and severe eczema. Sometimes Medicaid refuses to pay for the asthma medicine. Sometimes I get lucky and my doctor gives me free samples to use for my son's health problems. Most of the time we just do without.

I have a 14-year-old daughter, Raven, who used to play soccer, but she was suffering from too many allergy attacks so she had to stop playing. I worry constantly when they are outside playing that they do not get hurt.

Both my 11 year-old, Iyanna, and my 7 year-old, Destiny, recently were found to have cavities, but I cannot afford to get them taken care of. Worse, Destiny also suffers from a tooth abscess but we can't afford to go to a dentist so I can't do anything about it. They also need braces, but I can't even begin to think there is a possibility we could afford that expense.

I can't tell you how terrible I feel because I can't afford to pay for the insurance to cover these healthcare needs. Mothers who work full-time for a hospital shouldn't have to worry that their children cannot get medical care. Many of my coworkers are in similar situations, and it's really time that we stand up together to say that this just has to change.

When we have a healthcare system that is so advanced, and I can't get them the medications or treatments that they need because of unaffordable insurance premiums and co-pays, something is terribly wrong. We need to do something about it.

Won't you join me?

Thank you!

- Rhonda

Colorado

Building off great nurse advocacy energy in Colorado, the Colorado chapter of Health United is off to a great start. Having recruited and identified some great activists in key locations all over Colorado, we will bring healthcare workers together in Denver, CO for our second general meeting on June 12, 2008. View more details, including a listing of upcoming events.

Oregon

We're working with groups like Oregonians for Healthcare, and finding that folks throughout Oregon are excited about Healthcare United.  Eager to let their voice be heard, healthcare workers around the state are convening at the governor’s appointed Health Care Forums this spring. 13 forums are being held around the state.  View more details, including a listing of upcoming events.

Wisconsin

Healthcare United Wisconsin has gotten off to a great start in the Milwaukee area.  Working side-by-side with groups like Wisconsin Citizen Action and 9-to-5, we're quickly gathering statewide support for a petition to enact paid sick leave in the state. 

New Mexico

After the primary, Healthcare United New Mexico will be launching with a vigorous voter registration campaign - aimed at registering caregivers across the state. We have a full-time organizer based in Albuquerque.

Florida

As one of the states with the largest healthcare population, Healthcare United has three field organizers on the ground, building an extensive volunteer operation.  Eager to get involved, volunteers are beginning to recruit more healthcare workers to the cause and inviting them to participate in an upcoming nurse educator meeting in May 2008. Interested healthcare workers should contact Patrick Furey at patrick@healthcareunited.org.

Michigan

Working closely with organizations that include ACORN and Healthcare for Michigan, Healthcare United's campaign in Michigan is gathering support for a ballot initiative that would require the Michigan State legislature to address serious issues with the state's healthcare system. For more information on the campaign in Michigan, contact Lynette Pitcock at lynette@healthcareunited.org.

New Hampshire

Working in the largest healthcare facilities, Healthcare United has already engaged hundreds of New Hampshire healthcare workers. Many of the doctors, nurses and techs have signed onto the Stop Medicaid Cuts petition that is being circulated throughout the state. For more information on the petition, click here.

Coming Soon

Minnesota

Don't see your state? Contact us at takeaction@healthcareunited.org if you'd like to start a state chapter.

SEIU strongly believes in the importance of your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how SEIU treats the personal information we collect through the SEIU website (the "Website") and what we do with that information. By using or accessing the Website, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Statement applies only to information collected online through the Website and does not describe the ways in which we may collect or use information obtained offline or through any means other than our Website.

How, When, and Why We Collect Information

• Activity That Doesn't Require Registration. You can view content on the Website without registering or providing any personal information. When you enter the Website, we collect information such as your browser and operating system type and IP address to optimize your experience on the Website and to track aggregate Website usage. In addition, we use a "session" cookie to identify you while you are on the Website, if cookies are enabled on your computer. This session cookie terminates once you finish using the Website and close your browser.

• Mailing list. You may provide us with your email address if you wish only to join our mailing list.

• Activity Requiring Registration. Certain activities on the Website - for example, posting comments, participating in an advocacy campaigns or surveys - require you to register. To become a registered user, we ask you to provide your name, zip code and email address. If you decide to register, we use a persistent cookie that stores certain information to make it easier for you to login when you come back to the Website. However, none of your personal information is stored in that cookie. You may also be asked to provide certain additional information to participate in other activities that we may undertake through the Website. For example, if you sign up to receive information by mail, we will ask for your street address. You may update or correct your personal account information and email preferences at any time by visiting your account profile page.

• Usage Information. We may record information about your usage of the Website, such as when you use the site, the areas of the site you click on and/or participate in, the tags you search for, and whether or not you subscribe to the RSS feed. If you are logged in, we may associate that information with your account. A persistent cookie may be used to track this information. We may use pixel tags and/or trackable links in HTML-based emails sent to our users to track which emails are opened and/or clicked on by recipients.

• Comments Posted to Site. Any personal information or content that you voluntarily disclose online becomes publicly available and can be collected and used by others. Your user name (not your email address) is displayed to other users when you post comments. When posting comments, you should exercise caution not to provide any personally identifying information or other information that you would not want seen by others. Use of the community functions on the Website is at your own risk.

• Tell A Friend Information. If you choose to use our invitation service to tell a friend about our site, we will ask you for information needed to send the invitation, such as your friend's email address. We will automatically send your friend a single email inviting him or her to visit the site.

• Polls and Surveys. From time to time, we may conduct polls and surveys. Information collected through our polls, surveys, and questionnaires is used in the aggregate, unless we contact you to request permission to use your individual responses for a particular purpose.

• We do not knowingly collect any information from children under the age of 13.

 
Uses of Personal Information

• The personal information that SEIU collects on the Website helps us, our state and local affiliates and SEIU-related organizations to efficiently and effectively represent our members, to pursue our advocacy agenda, and to provide valuable member benefits.

• In order to advance these goals and activities, we may share the personal information that we collect about you with our state and local affiliates and other SEIU-related organizations, as well as third parties that perform services on our behalf. Additionally, subject to applicable law, we may share any of the personal information that we collect about you with certain third parties that share our interests.

• We will use your email address to communicate with you about SEIU's activities and offerings, unless you opt-out from receiving such messages. We will also use your email address for administrative purposes, such as notifying you of major Website changes, sending messages related to actions you have taken on the site or for customer service purposes. Although we hope you'll find these communications informative and useful, if you don't, you can always unsubscribe by following the simple instructions included in each email.

• When you send email or other communications to us, we may retain those communications in order to process your inquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services.

• We use both your personally identifying information and certain non-personally-identifying information (such as anonymous usage data, IP addresses, browser type, clickstream data, etc.) to improve the quality of your user experience and the design of the Website and to create new features, functionality, and services by storing, tracking, and analyzing user behavior, preferences, trends, and actions.

 
Other Disclosures
We may be required to disclose user information pursuant to lawful requests, such as subpoenas or court orders, or in compliance with applicable laws.  If we receive a subpoena requesting information about you and if you have provided us with your email address, we will attempt to notify you of the subpoena at the email address that you have provided.  Additionally, we may share account or other information when we believe it is necessary to comply with the law, to protect our interests or property, to prevent fraud or other illegal activity perpetrated through the Website or using the SEIU name, to prevent bodily harm, to enforce our User Agreement, or to protect the rights, property or safety of visitors to our site, our members, the public or SEIU.  In the unlikely event that SEIU (or substantially all of its assets) is merged with another entity, information on our visitors would be among the transferred assets.

Information Security and Data Integrity
SEIU takes security measures to protect against unauthorized access to or unauthorized alteration, disclosure or destruction of data. These include internal reviews of our data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures, as well as physical security measures to guard against unauthorized access to systems where we store personal data.

More Information
Our Website may also permit you to access non-SEIU sites. It is important to remember that, if you link to a non-SEIU site from our Website, that party's privacy policy and its user agreement apply to you. We encourage you to learn about each third party's privacy policy before giving personal information to them.

SEIU reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. We will post any changes to this Privacy Policy on this page, so we encourage you to check this page regularly.  Your continued use of this Website following any changes to this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such changes.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the Website, or your account, please feel free to contact us.

Effective Date: January 10, 2008