 GIVE BACK OUR HOMES — PEF nurses
at Downstate Medical Center protest loss of homes. —
Photo by Ken Dischel
Tell management
to ‘stop taking our homes’
PEF nurses protest at SUNY Downstate Medical Center
By DENYCE DUNCAN LACY
On a cold, dark afternoon in late October, dozens of PEF
nurses donned hospital scrubs and joined PEF President
Roger Benson and other leaders for a rally and
informational picketing at the entrances of SUNY
Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. The demonstration
was organized to educate the community about
management’s attempts to arbitrarily convert
nurses’ residence apartments into business offices.
They chanted, “Save our homes! Management offices
got to go!” and wore signs that said, ‘Stop
Taking Our Homes’ and ‘Quality Care, Keep Us
Here.’
“It’s unbelievable the management of SUNY
Downstate Medical Center would convert nurses residences
into offices when there’s a crisis retaining and
recruiting skilled nurses,” Benson said.
“Nurses have lived in the hospital’s residence
for close to 30 years. The apartments make it possible
for nurses to live in the community and quickly attend to
patients during hospital emergencies.”
20 apartments
converted
According to Jemma Marie-Hanson, PEF council leader at
Downstate, 75 nurses currently live at the nurses’
residence across the street from the hospital. Another 56
nurses are on a waiting list for apartments there. Some
have been on the waiting list for nearly eight years.
Recently, more than 20 nurses’ residences have been
converted to offices by medical center management without
negotiating with the union.
“To take these apartments and this benefit away from
nurses is truly unfortunate,” said Joy Fletcher, a
PEF specialty nurse who has worked at the hospital for 20
years and lives in the nurses’ residence. “Once
these skilled nurses leave the apartments, they are lost.
They do not want to stay at this hospital. With the
nursing shortage we have to do everything we can to keep
skilled nurses here,” Fletcher added.
Community will
suffer
“This is a benefit that does more than help
nurses,” said Pat Burns, another nurse who lives in
the nurses’ residence. “It helps our community.
We need to keep skilled nurses here to ensure this
institution has the best nurses Brooklyn can supply, and
to keep the quality of our nursing care to a high
standard. We need skilled nurses here in case of any
problem or emergency, so that we can do our job and make
sure our patients are safe.”
 PEF has
filed an improper practice charge with the state Public
Employment Relations Board and grievances with
management.
“Management has refused to notify the union of
changes that will effect its members,” Marie-Hanson
said. “Our position has been made clear. PEF will
not stand for the conversion of the residences and will
use all means possible to end further conversions because
our patients deserve the best skilled nursing
workforce.”
The nurses and PEF representatives also distributed
leaflets to people entering and leaving the hospital. The
leaflets asked the public to call the medical
center’s president, Dr. John C. LaRosa, and tell him
to stop taking the nurses’ homes away from them.
NURSES PROTEST
— Jemma Marie-Hanson and VP Pat Baker call for
return of residences. — Photo by Ken Dischel
|
COMMUNICATOR HOMEPAGE
Inside This
Issue:
Features
PEF’s political action
efforts pay off
Union's top COPE-people take
a bow
Nurses protest at SUNY
Downstate Med.Center
Long view snags threat to
PEF jobs
PEF Scholarships and
financial aid
- January time to apply for student financial aid
- PEF to award 10 Scacalossi Scholarships
- Unions offer $$$ to top students
- Neil Boyle lives on through scholarships
- Tap into a Union Plus
scholarship
Departments
President's Message: Ready
for '03 challenges
You Said It: Member's
letters this month
Member Mobilization:Building
union power
Nurses' Station: Fight for
healthier health care
Health Notes: Choosing your
health plan
Retirees In Action:
Legislative battles ahead
Member In Action: Highlights
page
PEF Membership Benefits
Program & Travel Corp
Union Matters
Trustees Report to the '02
convention
Agency-fee procedure
outlined
Financial Supplement (Audit)
PEF helps spotlight poor
care, understaffing
Members’ 9/11 tribute
on US State Dept. Website
Union striving to keep
service-credit bill alive
Members' vacation credits
safe
Members on military leave health insurance safe
Court: GOER must enforce
order at SIF
PEF rallies to aid injured
member at DOT
Test drive online training
Contract offers DOCS members
help with tuition
ERI windows already opened
or opening
File your HCSAccount claims
by Mar. 31
E- Board makes decisions at
Aug. meeting
Black Caucus to host Holiday
Party
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