Courtesy 1199SEIU union
Workers at Northwell Health’s Little Neck lab held an informational picket on November 1, demanding fair wages and benefits similar to other Northwell facilities.
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
Employees at Northwell Health’s Little Neck Parkway Laboratory took to the streets on November 1 to demand fair treatment and better working conditions. Laboratory technologists, technicians, accessioners, and clinical laboratory assistants, all members of the 1199SEIU union, organized an informational picket outside the Queens facility, urging the healthcare provider to settle a contract that aligns with agreements already in place at other Northwell locations.
The Little Neck laboratory, part of New York State’s largest healthcare provider, is staffed by over 100 laboratory professionals, many of whom voted to join 1199SEIU in December 2023. Despite months of negotiations, workers say management has failed to meet their demands for improved compensation and benefits similar to those received by other Northwell workers.
“We deserve the same type of compensation that tens of thousands of other 1199SEIU members have won in their contracts with Northwell—and nothing less. We voted for our union almost a year ago and it’s time for Northwell to respect us and settle a fair contract,” said Jesse McDade, a Clinical Laboratory Technologist at the Little Neck lab.
The workers say they have been fighting for over six months for a fair contract but have seen little progress from management. They are calling for wage increases, family health insurance, and other benefits already secured by tens of thousands of other 1199SEIU members across Northwell’s facilities.
“Although our patients may not see us, we prioritize their care every day by analyzing thousands of specimens, aiding in diagnosis, and determining the best treatment—often putting ourselves and our families at risk for serious diseases,” said Nicole Eichel, another Clinical Laboratory Technologist at the Little Neck lab. “We do this because we genuinely care about our patients’ health and well-being, yet Northwell refuses to do right by agreeing to a fair contract.”
Staff at the Little Neck facility, which processes specimens from both Northwell hospitals and other healthcare providers, are also concerned about rising workloads without corresponding increases in compensation. The lab has seen a significant increase in the volume and complexity of its work but has not been offered a contract that addresses the growing demands.
“They called us healthcare heroes without capes, but now those feel like meaningless words as management refuses our pleas for fair wages like other Northwell staff,” said Mahmudur Khan, a Clinical Laboratory Technologist. “Improved wages would help us recruit and retain more lab professionals, which is vital as we analyze more and more specimens from both Northwell facilities and other health systems.”
The ongoing contract dispute follows a broader trend of union organizing at Northwell Health. In October, over 850 laboratory staff at the Core Testing Facilities in New Hyde Park overwhelmingly voted to join 1199SEIU, signaling a growing wave of union activity within the healthcare giant.
Rose Ryan, a press secretary for 1199SEIU, explained that the informational picket was intended to send a message to Northwell management.
“The workers at Little Neck want the same contract that their colleagues at other Northwell facilities have,” she said. “There’s no reason why they should be treated differently.”
Ryan also noted that the workers’ primary concerns center around financial fairness. While Northwell has agreed to raise wages by 6% for other 1199SEIU workers, management has only proposed a 3% raise for the Little Neck lab workers.
“They also deserve fairness,” Ryan said. “If Northwell can do right by all these other workers, why can’t they do the same for the Little Neck lab workers?”
Northwell Health has not yet officially responded to the picket or the workers’ demands. According to Ryan, negotiations with the company are ongoing.
The workers, who have already shown their unity through the picket, are determined to continue their efforts until a fair contract is reached.
In the meantime, the union remains optimistic that pressure from public demonstrations will help bring about the necessary changes.
“They just, you know, want to go in there,” Ryan said. “They want to do their work. The patients are their priorities. But they also deserve fairness.”
