Coalinga health care workers join union

Health-care workers at Coalinga Regional Medical Center have joined SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, union officials said Wednesday.

Two hundred have joined the union, including certified nursing assistants, licensed vocational nurses, radiology technicians, laboratory technicians, physical therapy aides and administrative assistants, the union said.

“Our goal is to provide the best patient care and that’s more likely to happen when front-line health-care workers like myself have a unified voice on the job,” said Amelia Culwell, a physical therapist aide at Coalinga Regional Medical Center. “By being able to speak up as a group, we can make sure that any patient-care issues are addressed faster – something that helps everyone in the hospital and the community.”

Coalinga Regional Medical Center is a 123-bed facility established in 1938 and is part of the Coalinga Hospital District.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 2:32 PM with the headline "Coalinga health care workers join union."