Above photo: Brandon Chew / People’s World.
Chicago, Illinois – University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) health care workers are “drastically underpaid” compared to other hospitals in Chicago, Debra Simmons-Peterson, president of Teamsters Local 743 told People’s World. Simmons-Peterson spoke at a rally Thursday in which hospital workers protested pay rates that don’t reflect the rising costs of living in the Chicago area.
The health care workers’ collective bargaining agreement with the medical center expired on March 9. The rally included fellow Teamsters, SEIU Healthcare workers, as well as local pastors, alderpersons, and other elected officials, and the Chicago Federation of Labor.
“We are here for one reason: to demand a fair contract that we have earned from this university,” said Debra Campbell, a patient transport specialist at UCMC. “The university prides itself on its core values. They talk about the strength of this establishment, but they seem to have forgotten the people who literally kept the doors open during the global pandemic.”
“We have gone above and beyond the call of duty out of devotion to our patients,” Campbell continued. “We’ve shown our dedication to this employer. Today, we are asking, ‘Where is their dedication to us?’”
Teamsters officials said they have given the medical center notice that its members will picket and leaflet to community members on April 20 and 21 to rally support for the workers in the midst of contract negotiations.
Simmons-Peterson told the crowd, “We’re not at the striking stage,” but she said a possible work stoppage could be “down the road.” She asked those present whether they are “committed to taking this fight with Local 743” if a strike becomes necessary. A resounding “Yes!” was the crowd’s response.
In January, Local 743 was able to ratify a new union contract for health care workers at Rush University Medical Center. That agreement with Rush included wage increases, higher retirement 403(b) matches, improved shift differentials, retroactive pay to July 1, 2025, and expanded leave policies.
Negotiations with UCMC have been more difficult, however. The Teamsters say they’ve already met for contract negotiations over 17 sessions since October.
Vivian Schmitter, general counsel for Teamsters Local 743, recalled a history of difficult negotiations with UCMC. In 2021 the union had to meet with UCMC over 27 sessions over eight to nine months to get a collective bargaining agreement in place. It took another year to finalize and sign the agreement and it ultimately didn’t include retroactive pay.
Schmitter said the University of Chicago Medical Center’s bargaining approach is one of punishment “designed to cut in half what we already have in the contract.”
The union, she said, was faced with management demands “that had us scrambling to maintain the status quo, so that the cornerstone provisions of our contract that have been there for decades remain intact.” Despite inflation, UCMC, she continued, has come to the table with proposals of wage increases of only 1 or 2%.
Pennies for workers, millions for bosses
In contrast, UCMC President Thomas Jackiewicz, was paid $3.8 million in compensation in 2024 while many of the health care workers only make roughly $22 an hour, according to workers at the rally. Many wore pins that read “STOP PLAYING! START PAYING!” and carried signs critical of Jackiewicz.
Others were critical that UCMC spends millions of dollars for infrastructure projects, AI initiatives and Moxi robots that are leased out at $10,000, but is reluctant to increase wages for healthcare workers, many of whom worked during the COVID pandemic.
“I had COVID and pneumonia, and I still came back to work with what they’re paying us,” Debra Campbell told People’s World. “There’s no respect.”
“We help keep this infrastructure running.” Campbell, a transport worker, pointed out the critical role of support workers like herself. “The doctors got to save lives, the nurses got to tend to the patient! “Food service feeds them to give them the energy, to give them the nutrients they need when the doctor says they’re on this special diet. Housekeeping, keep the infections down and clean the room.
“We’re transporting patients with all kinds of infections with just a mask on, or sometimes a gown, [getting] infected and taking it home. That’s worth a lot right there. So they should give us what we’re asking and then some, not just what we’re asking. Give us what we’re worth.”
