Bargaining Team Election

Help shape the future of SCV contract negotiations by voting for your bargaining team representatives. Voting ends on Friday, September 20, 2024, 11:59PM. Members have one vote per grouping of classifications. Vote here: https://unacuhcp.formstack.com/forms/scvpro_bargainingteam.

Read more about the candidates below.

Group 1 Classifications: Physical Therapist, Speech Language Pathologist, and Occupational Therapist

Brian Connelly, Occupational Therapist
Number of Years at SCV: 11 years, 10 months
I am motivated to run because I understand the challenges faced by frontline staff and bring a unique perspective from my two years as a Rehab leader at Sharp Chula Vista. My background provides insight into how our department operates, which has brought to my attention the critical need for improved fairness, transparency, and collaboration in the Rehab decision-making process. I am committed to speaking up when necessary to ensure that what matters most to Rehab staff is effectively represented at the bargaining table. My goal is to create meaningful and impactful changes that foster a positive work environment where Rehab staff feel valued and are inspired to build long-term careers at Sharp Chula Vista.

Maria Duarte, Physical Therapist
Number of Years at SCV: 14 years
I am a PT in acute care, but also float to Birch Patrick and Veterans Home, as needed.

 

 

Leah Freel, Physical Therapist
Number of Years at SCV: 3 years
I came to Sharp with 10 years of experience and exposure to several workplace environments. I think Sharp is a great place to work, but it is important to have a choice in locking in the things we like about Sharp while also advocating for improvements that will affect my livelihood, patient care, and workplace satisfaction. We have not truly had a voice in these areas before, so this is an exciting opportunity.

 

Andre Gatewood, Speech-Language Pathologist
Number of Years at SCV: 3 years
I hope to represent my fellow colleagues as a bargaining team member because I’ve seen far too many examples of how we as healthcare professionals are consistently undervalued and marginalized by our employer year after year. This is an unfortunate reality, especially considering that many of us have earned costly advanced degrees, spent thousands of hours studying/training, and completed hundreds of hours of specialized CEUs to earn and maintain the privilege to care for our patients. I have a tremendous amount of pride for how hard my colleagues work to provide exceptional care to our patients, and I think we all deserve a lot more respect and significantly higher compensation for the expertise and knowledge that we contribute to the interdisciplinary care model at Sharp. I want to help create a better future for professionals at SCVMC by working alongside my colleagues to forge a union contract that will create a more stable, supportive, and financially tenable working environment for all of us. I would be honored to represent you in our endeavor to win our very first contract, and I assure you that I will advocate for your concerns  with the utmost sincerity and firmness at the negotiation table. Thank you for your consideration!

 

Group 2 Classifications: Medical Social Worker, Registered Dietician

Joy Josafat, Medical Social Worker
Number of Years at SCV: 14.5 years
What motivates me to be involved would be the well-being of my coworkers and hearing what they need and creating a healthy and supportive work environment. I truly have enjoyed working at Sharp Chula Vista Hospital for all these years. I have always felt supported, but I know that is not the case for everyone. I want to be able to voice my coworkers’ concerns and make sure they are heard, so that we are all working together to not only support one another, but to provide our patients with the best care.

 

Kathrina Neri, Medical Social Worker
Number of Years at SCV: 3 years
A cornerstone of social work is advocacy. To be provided an opportunity to advocate for myself and my peers is amongst my deepest passions in my career. Having worked in multiple hospitals with differing levels of support, I have an understanding of how communication, support, effective leadership, and trust can go a long way with morale and the safety of patients and employees.

 

Sandra Rivas, Medical Social Worker
Number of Years at SCV: 4 years
I want to make a change and be an advocate.

Group 3 classification: Pharmacist

Kimberly Vu, Pharmacist
Number of Years at SCV: 18 years
I am honored to be nominated by my peers. My strengths include perseverance, fairness, and open-mindedness. I am committed to the goals of our professional group and strive to work hard.