NORTHEAST UPMC staffers join global strikes over pay, union rights

Several dozen staffers at UPMC’s Pittsburgh hospitals went on strike Thursday in solidarity with workers worldwide protesting for higher minimum wages and greater union rights.

The protests come on the heels of UPMC’s announcement last month that it plans to raise the minimum wage of its workers to $15 an hour.

The strike at UPMC didn’t affect hospital operations since it happened off-site and involved a small fraction of the system’s employees. Among those who participated were receptionists and discharge specialists.

Workers acknowledged that UPMC’s move to increase wages was a victory, but the group that walked off the job said it’s about more than money. Some staffers say hospital leadership has hindered their attempts to unionize.