OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Dozens of caregivers, support staff, and community members rallied Wednesday outside HCA Florida Osceola Hospital in Kissimmee and HCA Florida Woodmont Hospital in Tamarac, calling for safe staffing levels and higher wages as contract negotiations between HCA Healthcare and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East continue.
Union members say that despite HCA reporting more than $6.7 billion in profit in 2025, frontline workers are struggling to afford housing, food, and other essentials in Central Florida. The union says the company has offered a 2.5% raise in current talks for a new three-year contract, while workers are seeking increases that keep pace with inflation and reflect the demands of their jobs.
“For me, this is existential,” said Aneal Ahmed, a clinical pharmacist at HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. “I live in this community. If I get into a car accident and I get sent to this hospital, I need to make sure it is safely staffed. Not only do I work here, I’m also living here.”
Workers say retention has become a growing concern, with some employees unable to cover basic living expenses. Union representatives also pointed to 401(k) policies and seniority caps as unresolved issues in negotiations that have been ongoing for months.
Elliot Buback, a patient transporter at Osceola Hospital, said the current offer falls short.
“We slave every day walking down these dark hallways, seeing scared families’ faces, taking patients to surgery, taking them for life-saving exams, and we just think that we are deserved a life save a little bit of... not asking to get rich or anything, but just enough for just to make it off life,” Buback said.
He added that communication from the company has been limited during the bargaining process.
“The transparency between them and us isn’t very good,” Buback said. “They’re just offering a flat 2.5 increase across the board, and nothing else, and that’s it.”
In response to Wednesday’s rallies, HCA Healthcare said patient care was unaffected and expressed hope for a resolution.
“Activity like this sometimes occurs when a union and an employer are engaged in negotiations for a contract, as we currently are with Service Employees International Union (SEIU),” said Victoria Heller, Director of Media Relations for HCA Healthcare’s North Florida Division. “We value our colleagues and are hopeful we can reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable for both parties. Throughout this process, our hospital will continue to put the health and well-being of our patients, caregivers and colleagues first. There was no impact to patient care or access to the facility resulting from this activity.”
Union leaders note that HCA’s CEO received more than $25 million in total compensation last year, while median employee pay would take hundreds of years to match that amount. They argue that safe staffing and competitive wages are critical not only for workers but for patient safety and community health.
Wednesday’s rallies were part of a coordinated action across 19 HCA facilities statewide. Pickets were scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at both the Kissimmee and Tamarac locations.
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