WEST POINT – The housekeeping staff at West Point's Keller Memorial Hospital has voted nearly unanimously to strike.
The employees, members of Teamsters Local 445 in Newburgh, are trying to negotiate a first-ever contract with Cherokee Medical Services of Texas, which provides the service to the hospital.

Teamsters Principal Officer Adrian Huff said they are fighting for two primary issues. "We need a decent raise in the second year of the contract, and we need the company to allow the workers additional time off for funeral leave, sick days, vacations and jury duty."

Huff said the union has already won a decent raise for the first year of the contract.

The Teamsters have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that the company has failed to bargain in good faith by insisting on conducting negotiations through emails rather than face-to-face meetings.

Huff said that last Friday the company agreed to meet next week with a committee elected by the employees. "Because of that, we will hold of on any strike until the meeting takes place," said Huff.