SEIU Healthcare PA Workers Celebrate Summer Lee’s Congressional Campaign Office Opening
(February 19, 2022, Pittsburgh) – Essential healthcare workers from across Western PA celebrated the opening of Summer Lee’s Congressional campaign office to represent the 18th District. Workers, community and faith leaders, and a diverse coalition of activists for union rights, the environment and criminal justice listened as Summer Lee rallied the room and called upon the community to seize the opportunity to elect a true progressive champion who will fight for all working families.
Our leader, Tosha Lindsey, an EVS worker at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, wrote the following guest opinion which we are pleased to share. Ms. Lindsey planned to deliver the speech at the campaign office opening but was unable to attend the event).
Waiting for Summer…
My name is Tosha Lindsey.
I am so honored to speak out and celebrate Summer Lee’s run for Congress!
I don’t know about you but I’ve been waiting for Summer to come along for a very long time.
Summer brings hope.
Summer is what gathers people together.
Summer is when we celebrate and create community.
Summer is coming early this year!
I work in the Environmental Services Department at UPMC Presby cleaning and sterilizing both the OR and patient recovery rooms.
I just received my last paycheck which included my .76 cent raise – so now my hourly wage is $15.76 – not nearly enough to support myself and my two kids.
There are now fast food joints nearby offering a $18 an hour starting wage – but somehow UPMC thinks my work isn’t valuable?
Like all frontline hospital workers, we are the very foundation of UPMC – but we are constantly disrespected.
What would UPMC do if we didn’t clean and sterilize operating and surgery rooms? They couldn’t even call themselves a hospital.
Our dedication and hard work allows this multi-billion hospital system to make its record profits. But very little of that money ever finds its way to our pockets or to the bedside of our patients.
Like every single healthcare worker within UPMC, I am utterly exhausted and suffering from the catastrophic short-staffing crisis. I see my coworkers breakdown and collapse all the time.
UPMC is a rich, powerful, special interest healthcare corporation — pretending to be a hospital.
People need to know the truth that UPMC is a low-wage employer that does not care or invest in our workers or in our communities.
But you know who knows the dirty little secret about UPMC?
Summer Lee does!
Summer Lee has been leading the fight and demanding accountability for UPMC for years now.
Summer Lee has led the fight for our hospital workers to join a union! She has stood with healthcare workers on the picket lines while we demand respect, fight for living wages, and believes that healthcare is a fundamental human right.
That’s why all of us connected to our Union, SEIU Healthcare PA, are supporting Summer in her race for Congress.
As an organizer, community leader and State Representative, Summer Lee’s life and career is a testament to fighting against structural racism, poverty, and injustice.
Just like me, she has experienced these struggles firsthand.
Even as we battle powerful special-interests like UPMC – we must also elect leaders like Summer Lee to Congress who will champion our “Unions for All” agenda where we can win quality jobs.
Working people need the ability to actually thrive in our communities – and not just “survive” – which is why this election matters.
I’m honored to support Summer Lee – just like I’m proud to go on strike at UPMC – because we must be willing to go the extra mile and fight for what we believe in.
Change will not happen by itself – we have to be the change that we seek.
It’s never been a “better time” – for “Summer-Time!”
Now let’s go get it!
Thank you.