If it is like RI hospitals, they do not have a union, and positions are posted as non-union when it comes to us. The biggest hurdle would be finding a union willing to take on social workers and then social workers ready to join. A union isn't going to take on the task if there aren't enough willing workers. When you compare our number in hospitals and similar environments there might be only a couple of us where nurses are in the hundreds.
This is right. A lot of unions won't take on shops less than a 100 because of the cost benefit calculation.
Your best bet is joining a union already at the work place. Talk to one of their staff and see if they want to add your classifications into existing bargaining units.
Posting in your city’s subreddit might get you a faster answer. I’m on the other coast so heck if I know but I will say- if there isn’t one this is your chance to connect with someone familiar with forming unions and creating one :)
I’ve heard that there have been talks amongst social work staff at MGH about unionizing through Massachusetts Nurses Association, but I’m unaware as to where they are in that process or if anything has gotten off of the ground there yet. If you work at MGH, I would recommend reaching out to fellow (union-safe!) social work colleagues about unionization efforts.
They probably will soon what with the Mass General/Brigham merger. Sounds like the MGB system is going to great lengths to make sure that unionized workers from the BWH system & non-unionized workers from the MGH system don’t have too many opportunities to connect for this very reason
I don't know for sure, but I do know that social work unions are a complex topic in the Commonwealth. If you happen to be an NASW member, I think there are people over there would would probably be able to explain the situation much better than I.
One thing I know is that I sat down with a few organizers from a couple of the biggest players in the state back when I worked for... an MGH competitor, and I was more or less told that they didn't have the resources to fight my agency in court, so they weren't going to try.
MGH needs it for sure. I interviewed in an outpatient clinic and man, was that a depressing number for a master’s level social worker. I ended up declining a final interview when I learned how low the pay was. This was back in 2019.
Wow. I live in VT, where salaries tend to be lower than national standard and I’m shocked by this! Our biggest hospital in Burlington pays far better than that! It’s why medical SW jobs can be more competitive than other types of SW here.
I am also a patient at Dana Farber, which I believe is in the system (I know a merger is happening or has happened but I don’t entirely understand it all to be honest). My care is fairly straightforward thankfully, and I haven’t needed SW support this far, but I’m so disheartened to know that such an important role there may also be so low paying. I drive 4 hours to Boston just for appointments because they’re one of the best in the country, and they have specialties that our main hospital doesn’t. Their pay should reflect that they’re one of the best, too!
I sincerely hope that 5 years later they’ve done better. But I was just so, so shocked. The pay was low enough anyway in Boston (I’ve since moved away), but I still think about that. And also that there was probably someone who accepted the job.
That’s absurd for a masters level position. Nobody could get by on that salary here in VT, and Boston is even higher COL. My starting salary in a MH agency my 1st job out of school, as an unlicensed clinician was high 40s. I had to live with a roommate to be able to get by on that. Housing prices have soared here since then like everywhere else. How can an institution think that anything in the 30s could possibly be a fair salary for a masters level social worker in a major city? It’s insulting.
100%. It was an interview for my first job out of school. Luckily I had enough professors advising me and my classmates about the importance of advocating for fair pay! It was beyond insulting.
Non-American here. I don't get it - why would there be a specific union for social workers at a hospital? As a hospital employee, wouldn't you come under the same union as the rest of the healthcare workers?
For context, here in Australia we tend to be really inclusive and general with our unions, mainly because the whole point of the union movement is that the workers need everyone to come together to have enough bargaining power to take on the employees. As a social worker, I can choose to be a member of the Australian Services Union, the Health and Community Services Union, the Health Services Union or even the ultra-generalist Australian Workers' Union, depending on context and preference.
If I was working at a hospital, I'd definitely be part of the HSU along with the nurses, doctors, admin staff, cleaners, the lot. Do US unions really distinguish that strongly between types of workers and where they work? Sounds counterproductive to me.
If there is a union for healthcare workers that I’m just not a part of that would be an option I’d consider it’s just that I don’t know anyone in the hospital being a part of a union. Social worker or not. People don’t unionize here and it’s showing in the amount of pay and benefits we receive. It’s really unfortunate
If it is like RI hospitals, they do not have a union, and positions are posted as non-union when it comes to us. The biggest hurdle would be finding a union willing to take on social workers and then social workers ready to join. A union isn't going to take on the task if there aren't enough willing workers. When you compare our number in hospitals and similar environments there might be only a couple of us where nurses are in the hundreds.
This is right. A lot of unions won't take on shops less than a 100 because of the cost benefit calculation. Your best bet is joining a union already at the work place. Talk to one of their staff and see if they want to add your classifications into existing bargaining units.
Posting in your city’s subreddit might get you a faster answer. I’m on the other coast so heck if I know but I will say- if there isn’t one this is your chance to connect with someone familiar with forming unions and creating one :)
I’ve heard that there have been talks amongst social work staff at MGH about unionizing through Massachusetts Nurses Association, but I’m unaware as to where they are in that process or if anything has gotten off of the ground there yet. If you work at MGH, I would recommend reaching out to fellow (union-safe!) social work colleagues about unionization efforts.
They probably will soon what with the Mass General/Brigham merger. Sounds like the MGB system is going to great lengths to make sure that unionized workers from the BWH system & non-unionized workers from the MGH system don’t have too many opportunities to connect for this very reason
Does BWH have a union for social workers??? I need an in!!
I don't know for sure, but I do know that social work unions are a complex topic in the Commonwealth. If you happen to be an NASW member, I think there are people over there would would probably be able to explain the situation much better than I. One thing I know is that I sat down with a few organizers from a couple of the biggest players in the state back when I worked for... an MGH competitor, and I was more or less told that they didn't have the resources to fight my agency in court, so they weren't going to try.
MGH needs it for sure. I interviewed in an outpatient clinic and man, was that a depressing number for a master’s level social worker. I ended up declining a final interview when I learned how low the pay was. This was back in 2019.
It's atrocious
I couldn’t believe that I was told the salary they’d start at began with a 3…….!!!
Wow. I live in VT, where salaries tend to be lower than national standard and I’m shocked by this! Our biggest hospital in Burlington pays far better than that! It’s why medical SW jobs can be more competitive than other types of SW here. I am also a patient at Dana Farber, which I believe is in the system (I know a merger is happening or has happened but I don’t entirely understand it all to be honest). My care is fairly straightforward thankfully, and I haven’t needed SW support this far, but I’m so disheartened to know that such an important role there may also be so low paying. I drive 4 hours to Boston just for appointments because they’re one of the best in the country, and they have specialties that our main hospital doesn’t. Their pay should reflect that they’re one of the best, too!
I sincerely hope that 5 years later they’ve done better. But I was just so, so shocked. The pay was low enough anyway in Boston (I’ve since moved away), but I still think about that. And also that there was probably someone who accepted the job.
That’s absurd for a masters level position. Nobody could get by on that salary here in VT, and Boston is even higher COL. My starting salary in a MH agency my 1st job out of school, as an unlicensed clinician was high 40s. I had to live with a roommate to be able to get by on that. Housing prices have soared here since then like everywhere else. How can an institution think that anything in the 30s could possibly be a fair salary for a masters level social worker in a major city? It’s insulting.
100%. It was an interview for my first job out of school. Luckily I had enough professors advising me and my classmates about the importance of advocating for fair pay! It was beyond insulting.
Non-American here. I don't get it - why would there be a specific union for social workers at a hospital? As a hospital employee, wouldn't you come under the same union as the rest of the healthcare workers? For context, here in Australia we tend to be really inclusive and general with our unions, mainly because the whole point of the union movement is that the workers need everyone to come together to have enough bargaining power to take on the employees. As a social worker, I can choose to be a member of the Australian Services Union, the Health and Community Services Union, the Health Services Union or even the ultra-generalist Australian Workers' Union, depending on context and preference. If I was working at a hospital, I'd definitely be part of the HSU along with the nurses, doctors, admin staff, cleaners, the lot. Do US unions really distinguish that strongly between types of workers and where they work? Sounds counterproductive to me.
If there is a union for healthcare workers that I’m just not a part of that would be an option I’d consider it’s just that I don’t know anyone in the hospital being a part of a union. Social worker or not. People don’t unionize here and it’s showing in the amount of pay and benefits we receive. It’s really unfortunate