District 11 Health Care Workers Council

The USW represents over 50,000 workers across the United States, Canada and Caribbean working in health care fields including hospital workers, clinics, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Our members work in home care, adult day care and with disabled people.

Besides seeking decent wages, safer workplaces and dignity and respect on the job, these workers fight to make lives better for the patients who depend on them for high-quality care and life saving medications. 

Collectively, our members contribute to every step of the human health experience and live across the entire economic and educational continuums. 

Health care is one of our union’s fastest growing sectors. There has been a 7% organizing growth in this sector since 2010. 

District 11 represents approximately 4,000 health care workers across 46 contracts throughout the state of Minnesota. 

Our members work in a variety of jobs in a wide range of settings. They include direct patient care, billing, registration, dietary, laboratory, radiology, surgery and environmental services. 

In 2016, the first group of family practice physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners ratified their first contract. 

What does the council do?

• Provides an avenue for members to network and exchange ideas on the challenges facing them. 
• Provides education and training to build stronger locals. 
• Lobbies on the State and Federal levels on our issues such as safe staffing ratios. 
• Expand bargaining power through organizing to improve working conditions and safety on the job. 

In the USW, YOU are the Union. 

YOU make decisions in your Local Union by a democratic vote. 

YOU nominate and elect Local Union officers from among your co-workers in your bargaining unit and other health care facilities in your area. 

YOU vote for the USW District Directors and International Officers. The USW is one of the few major unions where members vote directly for top officers of the International Union. Democratic elections hold our leadership accountable to our membership. 

YOU determine your bargaining demands and elect your negotiating team members. 

YOU be a part of a Local Union that decides all affairs of the Local Union.