The St. Joseph's Hospital service workers provide the essential backbone services that vulnerable patients depend on – they prepare and make the food, clean rooms and beds, transport patients to life-saving tests and provide personal care, but their value is not recognized.

Recently, as a part of contract negotiations, Catholic Health Services proposed to allow these jobs to be contracted out and to take away some of these employees most basic benefits. Some of these employees do not even make a living wage. Many of these employees make less than $10 an hour and after decades of service can make just $15 or $16 an hour.

While spending over 50 million dollars on office space for high-level administration, those that impact the patient experience most are being left in the cold. Catholic Health System's net income was $35.6 million for 2013 — a 22 percent increase from the year before. The CEO, Joe McDonald made 1.5 million in 2012.

While enjoying success, Catholic Health Services also needs to take care of their lowest paid workers; these workers take care of the patients.

We demand nothing be taken from this group of employees that can least afford it, and that Catholic Health Services ensures their job security and benefits, acknowledging the true value of their contributions.