ThedaCare service, support workers plan to protest wages, staffing in Appleton
APPLETON - Service and support workers at ThedaCare are preparing to speak out against the Appleton hospital's wages and staffing Tuesday, according to the Service and Employees International Union Wisconsin.
Service and support workers at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center will lead a protest outside the hospital Tuesday afternoon to demand better contract negotiations for higher wages and more staff, according to a news release from the union.
Six sterile processing technicians are employed to clean all the surgical instruments for ThedaCare's seven hospitals, according to the union. Their pay starts at $15.16, while certified nursing assistants start at $14.22.
SEIU Wisconsin said low pay has caused many service and support hospital employees to leave — about 40% left in the last two years.
"For years, low wages have forced many workers to leave their jobs for better pay elsewhere and it has meant ThedaCare doesn’t have enough staff to provide the highest quality care for patients," the news release said.
On Tuesday, the workers will demand the health system raise wages to retain employees.
ThedaCare runs seven hospitals in Wisconsin. The two largest hospitals are in Appleton and Neenah, and the five others across the state are in New London, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano and Wild Rose.
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Benita Mathew is a health and science reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Contact her at bmathew@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @benita_mathew.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: ThedaCare Appleton service, support workers protest wages, staffing
