Can you imagine your union growing by 350,000 ... overnight? In a sense this is what happened this week when 16,000 SEIU Healthcare Florida workers overwhelmingly voted to join 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest growing union for healthcare workers in the country.

The 16,000 nurses and healthcare workers represented by SEIU Healthcare Florida voted by mail-in ballots, which were tallied this week at the union's headquarters. The results were 97 percent in favor of the merger, which will bring a whole lot more power to Healthcare Florida's sisters and brothers. More power, more resources = a stronger union ... that was the mindset of most of the workers in Florida going into this vote.

"Having a strong union voice gives us more power to advocate for patient care," said Betsy Marville, RN, and Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Florida's Nurse Division. "This is an unprecedented opportunity for healthcare workers to ensure that new policies are implemented with our voices front and center."

Monica Russo, President of SEIU Healthcare Florida said, "The voices of Florida's healthcare workers to advocate for their patients and professions just grew 30 times more powerful. Joining the largest healthcare workers' union in the country will provide the resources to dramatically improve healthcare delivery for Florida's patients and nursing home residents."

"We are excited to welcome the healthcare workers of Florida into our union," said 1199SEIU President George Gresham. "Together we will make sure that healthcare workers are valued for their important contribution to our communities and that patients receive the best possible care. With our voices united, we'll have more strength and resources to raise standards for healthcare workers in the state of Florida and throughout the country."