Cleveland - All employees of The MetroHealth System now make a minimum of $15 per hour. The health system announced the wage increase as part of its commitment to give all full-time employees the ability to earn a self-sustaining income.
“MetroHealth’s mission is to care for everyone and that includes our employees,” said Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “It’s important, at every level of the organization, that the 7,800 people here who spend their days caring for others know how important they are, feel valued and are able to support their families. Their financial health is just as important as their physical health.”
The hourly wage increase impacts 928employees, including members of the union AFSCME Local 3360. Of those, 203 employees will have their wages increased to $15 an hour and 725 employees will see adjustments above the $15. The average wage increase is 12.1 percent.
Employees will see the adjustment in their paycheck in April, which will include the wage increase back-dated to February 3.
In February, MetroHealth and AFSCME Local 3360 reached a new 3-year contract that includes the $15.00 minimum wage and a substantial health care package. The wage increase impacts approximately 40 percent of the 2,300 union workers at MetroHealth.
“Since Dr. Boutros has been the CEO of The MetroHealth System, the union and administration have enjoyed a collaborative relationship,” said Julie Albers, president of AFSCME Local 3360 at MetroHealth. “The increase of our minimum wage to $15 per hour reflects that collaborative effort and the generosity of this administration. Our members will be able to have a greater work-life balance, live healthier lives and earn a living wage for their work.”
The impacted employees work in a number of entry-level positions including patient transport, environmental services, laundry services, facilities maintenance and food services. Greeters, unit secretaries, customer care partners, pharmacy technicians and medical team assistants are also among those receiving increases.
According to Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for a two-parent, two-child family in Cuyahoga County, the minimum amount needed to secure a modest, yet adequate, standard of living is $61,734 per year. For two full-time working adults, the hourly rate is $14.84. The wage increase at MetroHealth ensures that two adults working in entry-level positions would make a self-sustaining living wage.
In 2016, MetroHealth raised its minimum wage to $12.48 an hour. The minimum wage in Ohio is $8.55 an hour and the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
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