Union healthcare workers huddle with delegates in Congress

Milka Exantus and Patricia Hayden of Dorchester were part of a delegation from Boston who met with Sen. Ed Markey in his Washington, D.C. office on Sept. 27. Photo courtesy 1199SEIU.

Dorchester residents Milka Exantus and Patricia Hayden traveled with a delegation of union members to Washington, D.C. last month to discuss healthcare priorities with the state’s delegation, including Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren.

Exantus and Hayden work as Personal Care Attendants (PCA) and are leaders in 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. They were joined by more than a dozen people, inclduing 1199SEIU Executive Vice President Tyrék D. Lee, Sr., St. Elizabeth’s employee Cristina Lamarre, Boston Medical Center employee Latia Holmes, healthcare workers Miles and Janina Wentzell, Joanne Edmond, Joe Koffi and Nicole Barbel, and organizers Myra Badillo and Teia Searcy.

They met with Warren, Markey and Congresswoman Katherine Clark on September 27. The discussions focused on how to advocate for protecting Medicaid, strengthening the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and renewing vital funds for community health centers and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest growing healthcare union in America representing over 56,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 400,000 workers across the East Coast.


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