Caregivers sit-in at community hospital in Aliquippa, PA demand fairness for working families

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http://www.examiner.com/x-2071-DC-Special-Interests-Examiner~y2009m1d27-Caregivers-sitin-at-community-hospital-in-Aliquippa-PA-demand-fairness-for-working-families?cid=examiner-email


Hospital caregivers from the former Aliquippa Hospital initiated a peaceful sit-in inside the closed medical facility to protest hospital management’s failure to pay employees’ unpaid wages that were due to them before Christmas.

Four Registered Nurses, former hospital employees, joined by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania Secretary-Treasurer Kim Patterson, Father Jack O’Malley of Pittsburgh, and Scott Fabean of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network went into the building around noon to discuss the issue with hospital management.

The delegation met with hospital officials for about an hour and a half. When discussions broke down, the delegation vowed to stay on the property until management agreed to pay them for the hours they worked.

Willie Felts, CFO and John O’Donnell, CEO of Commonwealth then called the Aliquippa police who removed the caregivers and their supporters from the hospital grounds.

“It’s unfortunate when workers have to stage sit-ins to get what they earned,” said Kathie Marino, RN. “But workers across the nation are saying ‘enough is enough’ of executives looking out for themselves and not working families.”

The workers will continue to press their demands at a demonstration before the bankruptcy hearing scheduled for tomorrow at the US Steel Building in Pittsburgh. Workers also launched a website and started an online support petition.
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every day it gets worse

it being the economy

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. Not Providing The Pay In A Situation Like This Should Be A Jailable Offense IMHO.

No excuse for the executives cutting a deal that continues their salary stream, while completely screwing over the workers who put in the hours. Absolutely unacceptable.