Hospital union protests firings

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/01/17/news/top_stories/doc47900ee08e16a548038184.txt

By Jessica Bruni, Times Staff
Published: Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:55 PM EST
ALIQUIPPA — They want fairness. And they want it now.

So went the chant as the union representing workers at Commonwealth Medical Center, formerly Aliquippa Community Hospital, rallied at the American Serbian Club in Aliquippa Thursday to protest the mass firings by the hospital’s new owners last week.


The Times/SALLY MAXSON
Former Aliquippa hospital employee Diane Jenkins chants outside the hospital with other workers and union workers. Diane was a CNA for 6 years at the hospital. She is from Aliquippa.


“Their very first action was to fire the existing employees,” said Chris George, administrative organizer with Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania, the union that represents the nurses and other workers. “This outrage meant we had to take action.”

Commonwealth fired its non-management workers after assuming control of the troubled hospital, which has spent years in dire financial straits. Neal Bisno, SEIU secretary-treasurer, said 150 union workers lost their jobs. He estimated about half have been asked to return.

At Thursday’s rally, the crowd of roughly 70 people — including SEIU members from other facilities, such as Friendship Ridge nursing home and The Medical Center, Beaver, and labor council officials from Beaver and Allegheny counties — gathered at the Serbian Club before moving on to the hospital.

The crowd had planned to march the mile from the club to the hospital, but Aliquippa Police Chief Ralph Pallante said no, for safety reasons.

Instead, police led a parade of cars to the hospital and stood by as the group began to chant on the sidewalk outside the hospital’s entrance, a location that inspired one hospital worker to shout “You’re not going to kick us to the curb like garbage.” The cry soon was picked up by the rest of the crowd.

FULL story at link.