Monthly Archives: March 2014

Nearly 2,000 people joined with UPMC workers on a frigid morning March 3 and March 4 in what became the largest protest in Pittsburgh in 20 years to demand that UPMC provide better jobs for a strong middle class in Pittsburgh.
The gathering brought three basic demands to UPMC and together their voices were heard loud and clear: UPMC, the region’s largest employer, needs to pay workers a minimum of $15 an hour, to erase UPMC worker medical debt and let workers form a union at the hospital system without retaliation or intimidation.
After two days of taking over the streets of downtown Pittsburgh and sitting down in protest at the front doors of UPMC headquarters, Mayor Bill Peduto heard us and UPMC heard us. The day after the mass protest, the mayor met with UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff.
Our calls for change blanketed the local news, and even national media took notice of the history we’re making. As the conversation dominates the news and our movement builds momentum every day, here’s a look at coverage of the Days of Change in Pittsburgh and other recent news clips:
Huffington Post
Pittsburgh’s Largest Employer Draws Hundreds Of Protesters Over ‘Poverty’ Wages
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Union sees national focus in UPMC organizing effort
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Hundreds protest UPMC over wages for service employees (video)
Pittsburgh City Paper
Uniting in protest: Criticism of UPMC has stretched beyond its workers
Philadelphia Daily News
Are we in Kiev? Why no, it’s Pittsburgh
KDKA-TV CBS
Workers, Activists Target UPMC Offices
WTAE-TV ABC
UPMC protest: Day 2
KDKA-TV CBS
UPMC Protestors Gather Downtown For 2nd Straight Day
PoliticsPA
Protesters Speak Out Against UPMC
90.5 WESA
UPMC Workers Ramp Up Union Organizing Campaign With Day of Action
WTAE-TV ABC
Mayor hopes to ‘open bridge of communication’ with UPMC, protestors
WTAE-TV ABC
Pittsburgh mayor, UPMC CEO meet on labor, other issues
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Mayor Peduto and UPMC chief Romoff talk ‘major issues’
KDKA-TV CBS
Mayor meets with UPMC CEO, talk pay increases, Highmark dispute
Pittsburgh Business Times
Peduto working toward UPMC resolution (video) (press conference)
90.5 WESA
Pittsburgh United Releases Report On UPMC Wages
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
All jobs not equal at UPMC (column)
 

This week our fight to hold UPMC accountable to its employees and the city of Pittsburgh blew out the roof!
If you weren’t with the thousands of people who came downtown, I’m pretty sure you saw us. Our voices were impossible to miss.
It started last week when my co-worker Christoria Hughes and Pittsburgh faith leaders were arrested after trying to talk to CEO Jeff Romoff about using UPMC’s power and wealth to lift UPMC workers out of poverty.
UPMC’s refusal to hear our call has just made us more determined. We need UPMC to do better and we won’t quit. That’s why we brave the bitter cold to gather at UPMC headquarters and set up our health care village. We had so many villagers that we spilled right into Grant Street!
In our village, my co-workers and I joined Pittsburgh students and teachers, artists and nurses, union members, City Council members, State Representatives, clergy and choirs to show UPMC what respect and care look like.
Hip hop artist Jasiri X got the formula just right when he gave us a song composed especially for us. It’s not hard: Just put People Over Profits!

On Tuesday, we again stepped out into the bitter cold to renew our call for good jobs, access to healthcare, and for UPMC to pay its fair share. At about 9 o’clock, Mayor Bill Peduto’s Chief of Staff, Kevin Acklin, came to our demonstration to tell us that we had been heard! The Mayor rushed back to town to step in and help resolve our conflicts with UPMC.
I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that we have from people from all over Pittsburgh, and I am very hopeful the Mayor will help bring us closer to improving jobs and forming our union at UPMC. Our families, our patients, our city needs better jobs at UPMC now.
Thank you,
Lou Berry
Housekeeper
UPMC Montefiore